By Tyler Trieglaff

Notes from the Chief

Notes from the Chief…As you saw from last week’s report, Turkey Days went off pretty well. I told you I was going to talk about other Turkey Days from the past, so here we go.  

About five years ago, there was a car that decided to take the shortcut and drive between the high school and the current CornerStone building. That picture popped up on my Facebook feed a couple weeks ago so let’s see if I can get the newspaper editor to print it.  

That was the second vehicle in my tenure that decided to take the shortcut.

Probably the most memorable Turkey Days was in July of 2008. There were several of us having supper at the PD when our good friend Marvin Anderson gave out a call of a bear with a jug on its head. I believe the original call came out from a resident next to the lake on Willow Ave.  

All of us at the PD sprang into action, and an auxiliary deputy and I jumped on our bicycles. As we were pedaling past the bus garage on Lake St S., here came this bear wandering through Gary and Jane Young’s yard just a lumbering away. There was a two-gallon plastic pretzel jug on its head.   

By this time a state trooper had gotten on the radio and relayed that the DNR had been tracking the bear for several days. We were given the order to dispose of the bear as it had eluded traps and game wardens for about a week.  

The bear sauntered down the sidewalk to the bus garage area and we tried to corner it, but it had other ideas. The bear took off directly into the ditch and across the RR tracks.  Those of us on bikes crossed the RR tracks and then a train came through town, blocking the officers and deputies in the squad cars. 

The bear made its way to the open lot next to the Baer Building and it was sort of corralled again. By this time the others arrived, and I had grabbed a patrol rifle from the squad car and was told that might not be the best idea in the tight quarters. Another officer had grabbed the squad shotgun and walked up to the bear and “BOOM!” I heard a lady scream in the distance after the shot.  

Now mind you, this was Saturday night of Turkey Days and there were probably a thousand people in town. Crisis averted and the town was allowed to go back to their festivities. I went to the city shop and got a pickup and we loaded the bear into the back end. 

By this time a local conservation officer had come to town and I met him at the city shop. The bear was a younger male, 2-3 years old, but severely emaciated. The bear was first seen in the Lake George area 5-6 days prior. That is about 60 miles as the crow flies. We had to physically remove the jar from the bear’s head by standing on the carcass and two or three of us pulling on the jug before it came off. The conservation officer then took the carcass to a local wildlife area and disposed of the bear. The incident was over and no one was hurt. Or was it over…. to be continued.

Friday, Aug. 1

5:47 p.m. Received a report of an elderly female getting prank phone calls.  

6:58 p.m. Suspicious vehicle at a business with a male and female inside.

7:47 p.m. Assist with a medical.

9:34 p.m. Traffic stop for no headlights.

10:41 p.m. Traffic stop for a vehicle passing on the right when two other vehicles were making left turns. Vehicle almost caused a crash.

Saturday, Aug. 2

1:18 p.m. Assist Perham PD with locating a vehicle that was involved in a hit and run.  Officer finally located the vehicle on August 3, and relayed that the driver needs to contact Perham PD.

2 p.m. Party turned in a cell phone to officer. As officer was trying to ID the owner, it started ringing. The caller was the owners wife. Phone was returned at their residence.

6:10 p.m. Traffic complaint on Oak Ave E of a blue pickup with loud exhaust driving at a high rate of speed.

9:35 p.m. Assist with a missing child on McHugh Rd.

11:33 p.m. Domestic between husband and wife. Female was upset that the husband ran over one of her many cats. Officer told them to stay separated for the evening. Officer also noted that there were plenty of replacement cats at the residence.

Sunday, Aug. 3

7:01 p.m. Report of a suspicious male in the Red Willow Area. Ashton Chilton, 19, Detroit Lakes, arrested and cited for Disorderly Conduct and Trespass.

Monday, Aug. 4

11:03 a.m. Assist Becker County Human Services with a home visit.

9:59 p.m. Assist with suspicious activity at the Frazee Golf Course. Male party left his vehicle at the golf course after golfing and went to get some food and was picking up his car.

Wednesday Aug. 6

10:04 a.m. Assist with a 911 hang-up/assault on Valley View Road.

2:54 p.m. Officer gave a presentation to Neighbor to Neighbor about scams.

5:46 p.m. Resident reporting a small dog in her yard. Dog was gone by the time officer arrived.

5:15 p.m. Assist Fergus Falls PD with locating a missing person that may be in Frazee.  The male was not in town but officers gained some knowledge to his whereabouts.

5:22 p.m. Resident reporting two dogs in his yard. Dogs returned home by the time officer arrived. Officer talked with adult daughter at the residence and warned about the leash law.

6:18 p.m. Report of an intoxicated male on Maple Ave W. Male was given the opportunity for a ride but he refused. Officer told the male he better kick rocks and leave the area for his mothers house which he complied. Male party took a short nap by the gas station before going on his way.

6:32 p.m. Assist with looking for two teenage girls who left their home in DL and were possibly walking to Frazee. The girls dad found them on the bike trail between Frazee and DL.

9:31 p.m. Another call on our intoxicated male. Officer found male with an open container stumbling in the middle of the street. Jaquinn Henderson, 27, Frazee, cited for dog at large and consumption of alcohol in public.

Thursday Aug. 7

10 a.m. Complaint of a mother having too many kids in her vehicle for the amount of car seats needed.

12:15 p.m. Report of a red Radio Flyer wagon taken from an apartment building.