BSO deputy stops assault on woman

 

After a Dania Beach resident reported hearing screams from an area behind a strip mall last Saturday, Dep. Eric Rodriguez arrived just in time to stop a registered sex offender from sexually assaulting a 55-year-old woman. Dep. Rodriguez approached quietly and startled the assailant, who tried to run. He didn’t get very far. Dep. Rodriguez used his Taser to stop and arrest the suspect, who is also a known gang member.

Investigators later determined that the felon grabbed the woman at knifepoint in the parking lot of the strip mall and forced her into a back alley, where he tried to sexually assault her. She was treated on scene for minor cuts. He is facing charges of armed kidnapping and attempted sexual battery.

We commend Dep. Rodriguez’s efforts in removing a dangerous felon from our streets.

FIREFIGHTERS ROUSE DEEP SLEEPER FROM SMOKE-FILLED APARTMENT

Angel Lebron (center), 56, gives information to BSO deputy John Gronna and firefighters Thursday afternoon after neighbors banged on his door to try to get him out. Just after 2:00 p.m. a neighbor saw smoke and heard a smoke alarm sounding inside unit #206 of the Sun Drift Apartments at 3181 W. Hallandale Beach Blvd. Lebron was sleeping in the bedroom of the second floor apartment as it filled with smoke. As Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue Capt. Rod Watkins searched the apartment, he found Lebron, sound asleep, roused him and assisted him to safety. Firefighters found a pot burning on the stove. Watkins said “Another 15 minutes and this man could have died from the smoke.” There was a smoke alarm sounding in the living room, but it didn’t awaken Lebron. Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue paramedics checked out Lebron on the scene but he refused transport. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), cooking fires are the number one cause of residential fires.

Photo by Mike Jachles/Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue

Program for Mentally Ill Inmates in BSO Jail a Success

An article exploring the benefits of a unique therapeutic program for some mentally ill Broward County jail inmates will be published in the Journal of Correctional Health Care. Mental Health Services manager Dr. Timothy Ludwig and former BSO mental health specialist Dr. Gina Hagar wrote the article after a 1 ½-year-long study of the Transitional Program Unit. The unit is designed to reduce the difficulties associated with housing mentally ill inmates alone in cells rather than allowing them to socialize with other inmates or receive mental health treatment.

The study showed that the program, which began in 2004, was a success for many inmates. By allowing the mentally ill men to interact with each other in a community area and work in group therapy settings with BSO mental health staff, their symptoms diminished enough to transition many of them into less-restrictive, dormitory-style mental health units. There are typically seven men in the Transitional Program Unit at a time. The length of stay varies with each inmate based on their sentences.

The article is expected to appear in the journal in October 2008.

BSO SHOWS BIKERS BASICS OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE

Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue Motorcycle Unit member Chet Klug (at head) and Capt. David Erdman show the proper technique for safely removing a helmet from an injured motorcycle rider Tuesday night at the BSO Public Safety Bldg. About two dozen road captains from the Ft. Lauderdale chapter of the Harley Owners Group attended the training class led by Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue Medical Director Dr. Nabil El Sanadi. El Sanadi, an emergency medicine physician, designed the course to teach motorcyclists how to handle roadside emergencies that bikers can encounter before paramedics arrive.  El Sanadi told the group, “Improper removal of a helmet can cause further injury, even paralysis, to a downed biker.” Road Captain Nick Marando acted as the patient for the exercise. El Sanadi added, “The road captains will take the skills they learned during this training back to their members, so they can be better prepared for emergencies.” gave tips on how to deal with bodily trauma, as well as heat-related emergencies such as dehydration, heat exhaustion and sunburn.

Photo credit to Mike Jachles/Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue

BSO Detective Maury Hernandez throws the first pitch!

Broward Sheriff’s Office Detective Maury Hernandez (with brother Josue) prepares to throw the ceremonial first pitch at the Margate Youth Baseball League season kickoff on Saturday morning. Hernandez’s pitch was caught by Florida Marlins catcher Matt Treanor. Team mascot Billy the Marlin was also on the ball field. The Margate Youth Baseball League has over 650 kids from ages 4 to 16 playing on 53 teams. The league also holds the distinct honor of winning two state titles, a first for any league statewide. In their last season, they won the Mustang Division (9 and 10-year-olds) and Bronco Division (11 and 12-year-olds). The winning Bronco Division coach: league president (and Broward Sheriff) Al Lamberti, who has served as league president for seven years. Saturday’s Jamboree Celebration included rides, food, games and a display by the Margate Police Dept. and Broward Crime Stoppers who took DNA samples and fingerprinted kids for their parents’ safe keeping. Hernandez was critically wounded back in August, 2007 after being shot by a fleeing suspect in Pembroke Park.

FIREFIGHTER FOR A DAY

(Weston, FL) – Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue Lt. Walter Knapp helps 17-year-old Diego Alvarez adjust the air tank as he gears up to be a firefighter for the day at Weston Fire Station #81 on Wednesday, January 30th. About 20 high school students participate in the city-sponsored Weston University Program that began in 2002. The program is a seven month-long program that provides the students an opportunity to learn about state and local government; in particular, Weston’s municipal government, through a combination of classroom and real-world experiences from the people who work there. As part of the day-long excursion, the group also went to BSO headquarters and toured the 9-1-1 communications center and the Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue logistics facility.

Photo by Mike Jachles/Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue

Inaugural Fallen Heroes Golf Tournament and Auction

A Big Success

The first Fallen Heroes Golf Tournament was held on Saturday, January 26th at the Deerfield Country Club. This charity golf tournament was held to raise money for the families of Broward Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Chris Reyka and BSO Deputies Maury Hernandez and Paul Rein, who were all shot in the line of duty in 2007.

This sold out tournament was a big success raising $30,000! Over 130 golfers, along with community members, attended the event to share in golf, raffles, a silent auction and food & fun. The money raised was donated to the funds set up by the Sheriff’s Foundation of Broward County for the Hernandez, Reyka and Rein families.

Captions

Spencer Reyka, son of slain Sergeant Chris Reyka, hits first ball to kickoff the tournament.

Deputy Maury Hernandez pictured with the Reyka and Rein families attended the Inaugural Fallen Heroes Golf Tournament and Auction.

TWO BSO DEPUTIES RESCUE ELDERLY WOMAN FROM SMO

 

Two Lauderdale Lakes BSO deputies carried a 75-year-old woman out of her burning home Wednesday morning to safety. Deputies Greg Lose and Mike Ruback arrived at 4129 NW 52nd Ave. around 10:00 a.m. to find Gerard DuPoux, 81 standing in front of his single-story home with smoke coming out of it. DuPoux told the deputies that his wife, 75-year-old Raymonde DuPoux was still inside the house. The deputies entered the smoke-filled house and found DuPoux trying to collect her possessions. Dep. Lose said the smoke was so thick that they couldn’t even see. DuPoux, reluctant to leave her home, was carried out to safety by the deputies. She was treated on the scene by Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue paramedics for smoke inhalation. Firefighters used thermal imaging cameras to locate the fire, which was in the attic above a bathroom. They were able to contain the fire to the attic and put it out in about 20 minutes according to Mike Jachles, Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue spokesman. Raymonde DuPoux told firefighters that she “switched the heater on a few days ago, but it never turned on.” Investigators are looking into that as one possible cause.

Photo credit: Mike Jachles/Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue 

COUNTY COMMISSION RECOGNIZES MEMBER OF NEW BSO COMMUNITY ACTION TASKFORCE

The Broward County Commission recognized a member of Broward Sheriff Al Lamberti’s newly formed Community Action Taskforce Tuesday.
BSO community involvement specialist Adriane Reesey was among those singled out by commissioners for her work on a local taskforce combating human trafficking in South Florida.

Reesey is one of the members of Sheriff Lamberti’s newly created Community Action Taskforce. The taskforce is a grass roots level team of BSO community liaisons assigned throughout the county. Their new role is to be BSO’s eyes and ears in neighborhoods and communities across Broward County.

The taskforce is a new way for residents to connect with BSO. Taskforce members will be familiar faces that citizens will know, and can contact with suggestions or concerns. Taskforce members will be part of Sheriff Lamberti’s front line when it comes to finding out what specific public safety issues need to be addressed at the neighborhood level. They will also be critical partners in getting important safety messages to residents, community groups and neighborhood associations.

“Every neighborhood, every community may have different concerns when it comes to public safety. Our job is to make sure those needs are clearly heard, and quickly addressed,” said Broward Sheriff Al Lamberti. “This new taskforce will allow BSO to serve citizens – our customers – like never before.”

The Community Action Taskforce is just one of Sheriff Lamberti’s new initiatives intended to fulfill his promise to serve the residents and visitors of Broward County with “Pride in Service with Integrity.”

VETERAN CHIEF IS “WHEELS UP” FROM THE AIRPORT

On December 31, 2007, Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Steven Dersham was honored for his 30 years of dedicated service to the residents and visitors of Broward County at Fire Station 10, located on the grounds of Ft. Lauderdale – Hollywood International Airport (FLHIA). Chief of Department Joseph R. Lello escorted Chief Dersham for the final walk by and inspection of uniformed personnel. Dersham was presented with his retirement badge, helmet and “rang in” his retirement on the fire bell with eight rings with the Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue Honor Guard present.

Chief Dersham’s fire service career began in 1968 with the United States Coast Guard at Cape May, New Jersey and took him down the east coast where he has been for the last 30 years at Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue Station 10 at FLHIA. Chief Dersham’s last day “on the job” was January 2, 2008. He had served in command of the Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) operations of BSO. He started his ARFF assignment in 1978, when the fire station was part of the Broward County Aviation Department. In the early 1980’s, the fire station merged into then-Broward County Fire Department, which became Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue in 2003. Because of the increased growth and traffic at FLHIA, the fire rescue needs kept pace with that growth. In late 2002 a new mid-field state of the art fire station replaced outdated and outgrown quarters on the outskirts of the airport. Currently, Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue has over 100 FAA-certified firefighters.

Station 10 units responded to 2,667 runs in 2006. It consists of: four crash trucks, one structural engine, a battalion chief and two paramedic rescues. On a typical alert-2, which is a problem in-flight, a first alarm response includes: Station 10 units plus hazardous materials and technical rescue teams and units from adjacent Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue’s Port Everglades station. An alert-3, a confirmed incident, can add upwards of 50 additional units.

PHOTO CUTLINE: Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue Chief of Department Joseph R. Lello (right) prepares to give a congratulatory handshake to Asst. Chief Steven Dersham (left) at a retirement ceremony on December 31st, 2007 at Ft. Lauderdale Hollywood Int’l Airport where Dersham has served for 30 years. Dersham is holding his helmet also presented by Chief Lello. Watching (center) is Acting Asst. Chief Harris Bouchillon who was appointed by Chief Lello to assume command duties at the airport.

Photo by Mike Jachles/Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue