Chief Hill then reviewed 2018 employee retirements and hires in the Public Safety Department. PSO Mike Russell retired on April 15 with 25 years of service in public safety, 18 of those years at the city of Oakwood. PSO George Williams retired on May 24, receiving a service disability retirement after battling a series of leg injuries. At the time of his separation, Officer Williams had over 21years of service, of which seven years was with the city of Oakwood. Chief Hill wished them well on their retirement. Public Safety Officer Justin Slone was hired on January 8. Officer Slone arrives with almost 10 years of fire and paramedic experience. Officer Slone recently completed the police academy and is in the process of completing his field training program. Public Safety Officer Jesse Schaffer was hired on May 14. Officer Schaffer arrives as a fully certified public safety officer. Prior to being hired in Oakwood, Officer Schaffer worked as a part-time firefighter/EMT with the Kettering Fire Department, and was a trooper with the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

The RadarSign, which is used to identify areas of traffic concerns, continues to be an effective analysis tool for the Public Safety Department. This valuable resource allows the department to identify true areas of concern and better allocate resources.

There have been several traffic studies done on Kramer Road due to a concern raised by a resident. A recent analysis was done over this past Memorial Day weekend showing that the average speeds have not exceeded 21.2 miles per hour, which is more than satisfactory.

Eight member cities of the Tactical Crime Suppression Unit (TCSU) and Miami Township entered into an agreement with LexisNexis to subscribe to their Accurint Virtual Crime Center. The logistical phase of this project has now begun. Each agency is working individually with LexisNexis so the mapping software can begin receiving data from the respective CAD systems. This project will be completed within about 120 days.

In September 2018, the Oakwood Public Safety Department will host Oakwood’s first Citizens Police Academy (CPA). CPA’s are a unique opportunity for citizens to better understand the job of a public safety officer and also serve as a way for Safety Department personnel to hear the needs and expectation of the community. The CPA will run from September 12 through November 14. The academy will last 10 weeks and will meet one night per week for two hours. Topics to be covered during the academy include: Safety Department Introduction / Orientation; Patrol Operations; Traffic Enforcement; Use of Force; Active Shooter Training; Evidence Collection and Processing; and Fire Prevention / Education. The CPA is free of charge and is open to any Oakwood resident or individual working within the city of Oakwood. Applications for the first CPA are currently being processed. The Safety Department is excited to offer this community outreach program.

CITY MANAGER’S COMMENTS – Mr. Klopsch provided an update on the following items:

Mr. Klopsch shared that when he was headed toward home a few days ago, he was stopped by an AT&T contractor asking if he knew the owners of a neighboring Volusia house. The contractor had just witnessed someone entering the homeowner’s vehicle and he attempted to run after him. Mr. Klopsch immediately called Chief Hill to report the incident. Within two minutes, there were two Oakwood Public Safety Officers and a UD Officer on the scene. The contractor provided a description of the suspect, and the officers went to work. Fifteen minutes later, the thief was apprehended and charged. This is just another example of the benefits of our Public Safety Department’s quick response times. Mr. Klopsch urged residents to always lock their vehicles.

Gardner Pool is open for one more month. Mr. Klopsch shared his appreciation to the patrons for their understanding of the nearby tennis court construction.

Mr. Klopsch thanked J.R. Jurgensen for the excellent job on the asphalt repaving program. They completed the entire project in less than one calendar week.

Construction work is underway throughout the City with AT&T contractors installing fiber optic communication lines, Vectren gas line work, and the annual Sidewalk, Curb and Driveway Apron Project. This work will continue over the next few months. He encouraged citizens to keep an eye out for construction equipment.

In cooperation with the Oakwood City Schools, the “Suggested School Route Maps” for Harman School and Smith Elementary have been updated and are posted to the City’s website. The maps are designed to suggest to students and parents the routes that are best used to travel to and from the two schools to minimize safety risk.

School starts a week from Tuesday. Construction activity around the schools is being wrapped up this week and should be done before next Tuesday.