Have you been curious about what our officers have been up to all month?

The Independence Police Department is sharing a sample of the calls for service each month to inform and educate community members on the work we do.

MAY 2024

In May, officers engaged in 838 activities, including 29 Arrests (Adults and Juvenile), 16 check welfares, 24 domestic disturbances, 9 hit-and-run Crashes, 7 emotional health calls, and 46 Suspicious Activity / Person / Vehicle calls.

 

  • A woman reported that a Toyota Prius driver stopped at an intersection to fix their hair. When somebody honked at the vehicle, the driver got out and started dancing in the street.

 

  • Two people reported their storage units were burglarized, with the suspect making away with multiple pieces of landscaping equipment stolen and a blue Polaris Razer vehicle worth $24,000. Upon speaking with the storage unit management, they informed officers of another tenant who had his unit broken into with landscaping equipment stolen. Officers continue to investigate this rare occurrence.

 

  • Officers responded to a call of an intoxicated roommate causing a disturbance at his residence. The roommate had been yelling at the homeowner and pushed him. After officers arrived and talked with the intoxicated man, he made threatening statements while having a bat and machete near him. After detaining the intoxicated man, officers took him into custody for Harassment and Disorderly Conduct II.  At the jail, he blew a .17% BAC.

 

  • Officers were dispatched to a fire that was intentionally set and spread through the chain link fence and set a stump on fire at the medical facility to the east of Jade Terrace.

 

  • Officers were notified of a driver parked in an “illegal manner.”  The witness contacted the driver and smelled alcohol, resulting in the driver driving away. Officers located the driver and performed Field Sobriety Tests. After failing the tests, the driver was arrested for DUII.  He blew a .23% BAC.

 

  • Officers responded to a report of an intoxicated man near the footbridge at Riverview Park. Officers located the man, learning he was under the influence of marijuana. During the contact, officers were informed the man had a warrant out of Clackamas County. The man was arrested on the warrant.

 

  • While looking for possible burglary suspects, officers found two people camping under the bridge on Monmouth Street. This area has been marked by ODOT with no trespassing and no camping signs prominently displayed (see photo). Both subjects were arrested for Trespass 2.

 

  • Officers responded to a disturbance where a dispute over property lines became physical.  The disputed area in question was about 6 inches.  One of the parties was arrested for Harassment.

 

  • Officers responded to a report of a domestic disturbance occurring in the Independence Library.  After investigating, officers arrested a woman for Harassment and Disorderly Conduct when evidence showed she bit the victim.

 

  • Independence Officers learned of a local man wanted on felony sex crimes from another jurisdiction.  That same day they located and took the man into custody on the associated warrant.

 

  • After finding a wallet that contained a debit card, a middle school student used the stolen debit card to purchase candy from some local stores.  The victim declined prosecution, but our School Resource Officer counseled the student and the student’s parents.

 

  • A recent investigation came to a close as the Independence Police Department arrested a man after receiving a report of domestic violence. Additional information received resulted in the execution of a search warrant for the recovery of a firearm involved in one or more of these crimes. The man was subsequently indicted by a Polk County Grand Jury. This month, the man pleaded guilty to Attempted Kidnapping in the First Degree, Strangulation, Assault in the Fourth Degree, and Bias Crime.

This is just a sample portion of what your Independence Police Officers do on a monthly basis. Reach out if you need us! We’re here to serve you.