DESOTO POLICE DEPARTMENT
2022 Annual Report
Chief Executive Officer
Joseph W. Costa
Welcome to the DeSoto Police Department’s Annual Report for 2022! Thank you for taking an interest in our department and for the support we receive from the communi- ty, the city administration and our elected officials. We hope that you will enjoy this edi- tion and become informed of some of the highlights relative to the overall efforts and ac- tivities of the dedicated men and women that make up the entire department. This includes all of our officers, employees and volunteers in Patrol, CID, Administration, Code En- forcement, Animal Control and the DeSoto Regional Jail. In 2022, our overall crime decreased by more than 2%. A reduction, even as small as two percent, is still a reduction and something to build upon for next year. However, you will be pleased to know, since 2018, crime in DeSoto has dropped almost 20%! Now that is something to really be proud of. Also, last year, property crime was down by 4% and crime against persons was down by over 3%. Family violence is trending down as well with a decrease of 15%. All in all, the City of DeSoto, continues to be safer as each year passes. The Citizen Police Advisory Committee and the Mental Health Unit, called the Care Team, that were developed and implemented in 2020, continue to grow and be very successful. Both programs provide much needed resources to our Officers and the com- munity we serve. National Night Out was a huge success as our citizens participated all throughout the City. It was refreshing to see our community out together having fun. Thank you to our citizens for partnering with us to maintain order and keep our City safe. Now, more than ever, I encourage each of you to take an interest in your Police Department. Attend the next Citizen Police Academy, come on out and ride-a-long with an Officer for an hour or two, take a tour of YOUR Police Department building, attend a town hall meeting, or become a volunteer. By all means, get involved and get to know the Officers that serve you each and every day. Thanks to all of our Officers, employees and volunteers that work together to make our Department better and our City safe! Thanks to every one of them for their ef- forts dealing with the challenges of 2022!
Assistant Chief
Ryan Jesionek
Assistant Chief Jesionek is responsible for the daily oversight of the operations of the Police Department, which includes the Patrol Divi- sion, Support Services Division, the DeSoto Regional Jail, and Code Enforcement/Animal Control. The Police Department is authorized 83 Sworn Officers and 40 full and part - time civilian personnel providing Police Services 24 hours a day, seven days a week and serves an area of 21.6 square miles. The year 2022 brought a slight decrease in overall crime in the City of DeSoto, to include specific decreases in the number of homicides, robberies, sexual assaults, burglaries, and criminal mischief offenses as compared to 2021. The DeSoto Police Department is divided into different divisions - Administration, Patrol, Support Services, Jail, and Code Enforcement/ Animal Control, and some units are divided into sub - divisions by function.
ADMINISTRATION DIVISION
The Administration Division includes both the Chief of Police and the Assistant Chief of Police, and it houses the Department ’ s Professional Standards, Training, and Records personnel.
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PATROL DIVISION
The Patrol Division is commanded by a Captain and is broken down into four 12 - hour patrol shifts. The Department ’ s Patrol Lieutenants each have command of a single Patrol Shift and each Patrol Lieutenant is assigned the individual responsibility for a single patrol district. The Lieutenants then utilize data to develop plans for proactive responses. Those strate- gies play a significant role in reducing crime. In 2022 our Police Officers handled more than 91,000 calls for service, to include over 40,000 self - initiated calls (like patrolling neighborhoods, businesses, or specific areas of concern).
SUPPORT SERVICES DIVISON
The Support Services Division is commanded by a Captain and consists of the Department ’ s Criminal Investigations Division (CID), School Resource Officers (SROs), Crisis Assessment Resource Engagement (CARE) Team personnel, as well as the Department ’ s Hiring & Backgrounds and Com- munity Engagement/Crime Prevention Officers.
DESOTO REGIONAL JAIL
The DeSoto Police Department operates a regional municipal holding fa- cility that serves the cities of DeSoto, Cedar Hill, Lancaster, Glenn Heights, Ovilla and Duncanville as well as Duncanville ISD, Charlton Methodist Hos- pital and the University of North Texas - Dallas. The Regional Jail serves a geographic area of approximately 112 square miles that consists of nearly 200,000 residents and is one of the only regional municipal jail facilities in the Dallas - Ft. Worth metroplex.
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CODE ENFORCEMENT
Code Enforcement is led by Charles Humphrey who also oversees the Ani- mal Control function. Code Enforcement, through its enforcement activi- ties, strives to maintain and enhance the quality of life for all our citizens by holding everyone accountable to DeSoto ’ s City Ordinances. Their en- forcement actions not only keep the City clean and well - maintained, but they also enhance the safety and well - being of the City ’ s residents and visitors.
PARTNERSHIPS
The Department continued its partnerships with many different commu- nity groups, boards, and commissions such as Homeowner ’ s Associations (HOA), the City ’ s Clergy members through DeSoto Police Clergy and Com- munity (DPCC), the City ’ s Citizens Police Advisory Committee (CPAC), the Domestic Violence Advisory Commission (DVAC), and our Citizen Police Academy and its Alumni Association (CPAAA). These partnerships help keep the Department engaged with community members and able to ad- dress and meet community concerns.
Criminal Investigations Division Terry Baker, Captain
The Criminal Investigations Division (CID) is responsible for conducting complete and thorough investigations of criminal offenses, and for preparation and filing of criminal cas- es with the Dallas County District Attorney ’ s Office for prosecution. CID is commanded by Captain Terry Baker and is supported by a Sr. Administrative Assistant. CID includes one Lieutenant, one Sergeant, six full - time Detectives, and two part - time Detectives. One of the six Detectives is designated to investigate juvenile - related crimes. A Civilian Inves- tigator assigned to CID handles some minor misdemeanor offenses and assists Detectives with the investigation and processing of crime scenes. Additionally, the CID Sergeant, with assistance of two part - time Detectives, manages the DeSoto Police Department ’ s sex - offender registration program. Each Detective in CID is assigned to a specific area of law. Some Detectives are assigned to crimes against persons (CAPERS) encompassing assaults, robberies, and sex - related offenses. Other Detectives are assigned to property crimes which include theft, forgery, and burglaries. Major crimes, such as homicides, are investigated by the entire division. Additionally, two specially trained Patrol Officers assist CID by investigating vehicle - related crimes, such as “ hit - and - run ” offenses. In 2022 the Criminal Investigations Division investigated 2,015 cases with a 97% clear- ance rate. The Division also prepared 315 arrest warrants for issuance, to include 179 felo- ny arrest warrants. All of these statistics are improvements over calendar year 2021.
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION
Lt. Penwarden
Cpl. Summers
Sgt. Parker
Lead Det. Acosta
Det. Incremona
Det. Boor
Det. Montemayor
Det. Archibald
Det. Bruce
Det. Watson
Det. Redding
Erin McQueen
Samuel Seay
Patrol Service Division Gary Perkins, Captain
PATROL DIVISION
The Patrol Division is commanded by a Captain and is broken down into four 12 - hour patrol shifts. Each shift is commanded by a Patrol Lieutenant. The four Patrol Lieutenants are each assigned the individual responsibility for a single Patrol District. The Lieutenants then utilize data to develop plans for proactive responses. Those strategies play a significant role in re- ducing crimes. The DeSoto Police Department Patrol Division is the largest division of the Police Depart- ment and functions under the command of Captain Gary Perkins. As the first responders in most cases, the Patrol Division responds to over 30,000 calls for service annually.
Division Responsibilities
The Patrol Division operates 24/7, 365 days per year. The Division has many responsibilities which include enforcement of all federal, state, traffic, and municipal ordinances. Patrol Officers respond to requests for service from citizens such as checking out suspicious activity or responding when life, health, or property are threatened.
Citizens Interaction
Patrol is the most visible part of the Police Department and has the most contact with the citizens. Officers encounter citizens on calls for service, taking reports, during traffic stops, at times when a child or adult is missing, or someone is injured in an automobile accident.
PATROL DIVISION
Sgt. Justin Rivette
Cpl. Warren Summers
Cpl. John Holder
Sgt. Robby Stevenson
Sgt. Andrew Wood
Cpl. Rickey Owens
Sgt. Brandon Pollard
Cpl. Rederick Wooten
Sgt. Edwards
T. Hopkins
J. Brumfield
R. Tasby
The School Resource Officer Unit (SRO) is supervised by Sergeant Mike Edwards who has been employed with the department for 14 years. The SRO Unit consists of four sworn Police Officers who provide security, guidance, and mentorship to students & staff on a daily basis . The officers assigned to the SRO Unit are 19 year veteran Tor- rance Hopkins, 19 year veteran Jermaine Brumfield, 16 year veteran Roderick Tasby, and Officer Angela Davis of Glenn Heights Police Department. The DeSoto Police Department values its partnership with the DeSoto Independent School District and works to provide a safe environment for students so that they are able to focus on academics, social responsibility and positive problem solving.
Police Reserve Officers
Mikel Edwards, Sergeant
In 2022 the Reserve Officer Program was supervised by Sergeant Mikel Edwards, a 14 - year veteran of the Police Department and a prior Reserve Officer. The DeSoto Police Reserve Officer Program is a unit of dedicated men and women committed to making DeSoto a better place to live, visit, and work while some are continuing their full - time careers. These Reserve Officers go through a full Police Academy and become fully certified Peace Officers before applying to the program. The Police Reserves en- dure the same hiring processes and training standards as our full - time Of- ficers. Most of the Reserve Officers provide a vast amount of law en- forcement experience to the agency. The personal rewards are well worth the effort and commitment made by these volunteers to the Re- serve Program. The current Reserve Officers have more than 220 years of law enforcement experience combined. The program consists of 10 Reserve Officers serving in such capacities as Patrol, Criminal Investigations, Jail and Transports, assisting in hiring and backgrounds, as well as one on the Regional Negotiations Team and a drone pilot. The Reserve Officers worked several special events during the year to include Homecoming Parade, Juneteenth, Crawfish Festival, Football Games and the Annual Christmas Parade. Reserve Officers were utilized several times this past year to assist Patrol due to major incidents.
Reserve Police Officers
DR. JEFFREY SEIF
BRETT EVANS
JOE WATSON
TEDDY JONES
LUPE VALDEZ
TANYA VANWINKLE
MARK HOWARD
AUBREY KIRK
CHARLEY TYNER
THOMAS REDDING
Internal Affairs
Brian Ziegler, Sergeant
The purpose of the Internal Affairs Division is to ensure the integrity of the Police De- partment and its Officers. Complaints are investigated objectively and fairly while pre- serving the rights of all involved. Internal Affair ’ s objectives include protection of the public, protection of the Police Department, protection of the employee, removal of unfit personnel, and correction of procedural problems.
Out of the sustained/not within policy actions, Officers received the following:
Time off without pay (suspension)
•
Written reprimand
•
Documented oral counseling
•
In 2017, the DeSoto Police Department instituted a new Internal Affairs program to help process these comprehensive reviews in a more timely and organized manner. To date, this program has been used to track areas of needed training and increased ac- countability within the Department.
Review Type
Quantity
3
Accidents
11
Administrative reviews
12
Citizen complaints
22
On duty injuries
28
Property damage
23
Pursuits - Fleet
22
Use of force
HONOR GUARD
Honor Guard Commander Lieutenant Chris Huerta The DeSoto Police Department Honor Guard is an all - volunteer unit consisting of DeSoto Officers who are dedicated to honoring the memory and serving the families of fallen law enforcement officers. The Honor Guard has a reputation regionally and is regularly called upon to perform various ceremonial functions at funerals and civic events across North Central Texas. Honor Guard duties include: Color Guard, Flag Team, Firing Party, and Casket Detail (Guard, Pall - Bearers, and Flag Fold). The DeSoto Police Department Honor Guard hosts an annual Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony in front of the DeSoto Po- lice Department during National Police Memorial Week each May. The team also travels to Austin each May that the Texas Legislature is in session and participates in the Texas Peace Officer Memorial Ceremony held on the steps of our State Capitol. Members of the Honor Guard also attend the National Peace Officer Memorial in Washington D.C. during Police Week. The DeSoto Police Honor Guard also sends members to train with the Army ’ s 3 rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (Old Guard). The Old Guard is responsible for con- ducting all funerals and memorial services at Arlington National Cemetery.
Citizens on Patrol
Director :
COP Coordinator:
Lieutenant Chris Huerta
Myra Rand
The Citizens On Patrol (COP) program is a group of active residents that have chosen to make a difference in their community through volunteering at the Police Department. The group has seventeen members and growing. These citizens come from all walks of life and after attending a training regime, begin patrolling the neighborhoods of the City as an extension of the Department. The COP ’ s work as extra eyes and ears for the Officers on the street and are active in assisting Code Enforcement in identifying issues in the City that need attention such as high weeds, illegally parked vehi- cles, and fence repair issues. The COP ’ s assist in high visibility patrols, foot- ball games and events, house checks, directed patrols, and traffic manage- ment. They run the Graffiti Abatement Program and work toward making the City of DeSoto a clean community.
Grady Kirkland - Lieutenant
Chris Huerta - Lieutenant
The Public Information Unit is comprised of three Public Information Officers (PIOs) who are authorized by the Chief of Police to distribute information about the Department to the media and the general public. The three Public Information Officers for the Department are Lt. Grady Kirkland, Lt. Chris Huerta and Officer Luis Morales. PIOs are also responsible for managing the Police Department ’ s social media outlets which include Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The Department has over 10k followers on Facebook and has a goal to increase our social media involvement in an effort to keep citizens well in- formed.
Luis Morales
DPCC LIAISON SGT MIKEL EDWARDS
ABOUT
A coalition formed between the DeSoto Police, concerned citizens and the ministers who live in DeSoto or serve citizens in our community. DeSoto Police Clergy and Communi- ty, ( DPCC) , was formed to help our community address the root causes of violence in the community.
MISSION .
DPCC partners with the Police Department as a resource for the community. DPCC provides tools to help area youth achieve great things, and strengthen and assist families in preventing negative outcomes that can hinder their well - being. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ADVISORY COMMISSION: One member of DPCC serves on this commission, which provides advice and recommendations to the City Council and DeSoto Police Department on how to improve the city ’ s response to vio- lence against victims, and institute other programs, with the goal of eliminating domestic violence in totality in the City.
DESCRIPTION
In 2010, we began discussions to address the growing violence among youth in the com- munity; and thus, DeSoto Police Clergy and Community was officially formed. Monthly meetings are held to strategize on how to address important topics that affect our commu- nity. This collaboration of numerous churches and the Police Department led to the im- plementation of several important programs, including “ Ministers on Call Now, “ Lay Person On Call, ” “ Gang Prevention & Behavioral Management Ministry Programs, ” Tu- torial Programs, Counseling, Mentoring and Parenting Programs. DPCC is a volunteer - based organization and continues to grow. It reflects a community working together to solve issues of concern. The ministers attend formal training similar to the curriculum for the Citizen Police Academy. The training sessions ensure that the lay participants under- stand the policies and procedures of the Police Department. The members also share in- formation about the ministries available through their own churches. Some have pro- grams in place to provide counseling for family violence, alcohol and drug rehabilitation and support groups for Child Sexual Abuse, etc. They also have special outreach minis- tries for our youth. The sessions are an opportunity to exchange information and forge a solid working relationship. Through this coalition with the Police Department, ministers from various faith groups volunteer to be “ on call ” when a family member, victim or per- petrator requests counseling. DeSoto Police Clergy and Community can be called on to provide counseling for family violence situations, car accidents, or disruptive behavior among our adolescents. You will also see them at athletic events and other public gather- ings. The DPCC Program marked its 12th full year of operation in April 2021.
Rederick Wooten SUPERVISOR
OF THE YEAR
2022
Sean Simms OFFICER
OF THE YEAR
2022
Jose Anguiano ROOKIE
OF THE YEAR
2022
Cpl. Rickey Owens FIELD TRAINER
OF THE YEAR
2022
Aubrey Kirk RESERVE
OF THE YEAR
2022
Oluwonlerotimi Adepoju JAILER
OF THE YEAR
Julie Potter CIVILIAN
OF THE YEAR
2022
Jeanne Mayor VOLUNTEER
OF THE YEAR
2022
Rickey Owens LIFE SAVING
BAR AWARD
2022
The Life Saving Bar is awarded to an officer for recognition of saving a human life.
Gary Perkins - Captain
Grady Kirkland - Lieutenant
Warren Summers - Corporal
In 2022 the DeSoto Police Field Training Program consisted of an Administrator, two Coordinators, four Field Training Supervisors, and ten Field Training Officers. The Training Program is a strenuous eighteen week training course in which new Officers, who have completed the Police Academy, are instructed in various areas of law enforcement field application, Department Standard Operating Procedures, and Department Administrative Directives. The first four weeks of training are classroom based learning environments followed by 14 weeks of street training. During the 14 week training cycle the recruits will be trained by at least three different Field Train- ing Officers during each of the three phases. After successful completion of 18 weeks of training, new Officers will enter a final two week “Evaluation Phase” in which they will operate independently as Patrol Officers under the watchful eye of a Field Training Evaluator. Officers who pass the Evaluation Phase will be formally assigned to a Patrol Shift. A maximum of six weeks of remedial training is available for Officers who fail to perform adequately during any portion of their training. In 2022, 12 recruits participated in the program with 10 successfully completing the entire process.
F IELD T RAINING
S UPERVISORS
Cpl. Summers
Cpl. Owens
Cpl. Holder
Cpl. Wooten
F IELD T RAINING O FFICERS
K. Harlem
J. Davidson
B. Quick
T. Sherman
F IELD T RAINING
O FFICERS
E. Johnson
J. Pitts
S. Quezada
D. Grubbs
A. Michaelson
R. Money
Records Division
Tiffanie Clark, Supervisor
The DeSoto Records Division is responsible for maintaining all reports generated by the Police Department. The Records Division is staffed by Supervisor Tiffanie Clark, two full time technicians Vanessa Arellano and Guillermina Jaimes, and a part - time Records Clerk Natalie Perkins. In September of 2021, our Department implemented the use of an online portal to accept Open Records requests which also allowed us the opportunity to imple- ment an online payment option as well. These updates to our normal process have given our Department a better tracking system and flexible payment options. Records staff answers all record requests from the public as well as other law enforcement agencies, Dallas County District Attorney, DeSoto City Court, Child Protective Services and military. The staff also submits NCIC/TCIC validation reports and Uniform Crime Reports which detail the FBI crime statistics for DeSoto. The charts below show the com- parisons over the past three years.
Guillermina Jaimes
Natalie Perkins
Vanessa Arellano
Crime Scene & Evidence Technician
Shayla Hamilton
Katelyn Capra
The DeSoto Police Department Crime Scene and Evidence Division (CS&E) is maintained by Crime Scene and Evidence Technicians, Shayla Hamilton and Katelyn Capra. The Crime Scene & Evidence Division is responsible for the Intake, Processing, Retention and Dispo- sition of all evidence seized by Officers in the performance of their duties. Responsibili- ties include taking photographs and physical measurements of crime scenes, identifying and collecting forensic evidence, and maintain the proper chain of custody of that evi- dence. Monthly, quarterly and annual audits are conducted by Command Staff Officers to ensure adherence to state laws as well as accountability and proper documentation of all transactions in the handling of evidentiary materials. October 1, 2021, through September 31, 2022, the CS&E Division received over 2,828 piec- es of evidence, while processing over 3,968 items for return and disposal. By the end of the year 14,911 items were retained. Additionally, over 2,913 items per year are delivered by CS&E to applicable Crime Labs, Outside law enforcement agencies, and disposal enti- ties. A full detailed Chain of Custody Record is maintained for all property and evidence that is processed. As laws regarding evidence collection and storage are updated, dynamic changes and challenges must be met with improvements to the manner in which the CS&E Division must retain and store evidentiary materials in order to maintain the integrity of those items that may be called into question for trial proceedings.
2022 PROMOTIONS
Sgt. B. Zeigler
Cpl. P. Krekel
Cpl. J. Kirchner
DeSoto Police Canine Unit, 2022
Corporal Summers #236
Officer Robertson #350 K9 - Gwiazdor
Unit Supervisor
In 2022 the DeSoto Police Department reestablished its Ca- nine Program. DeSoto had been without an operational canine since 2018 when K9 - Arsen and his han- dler separated service with the DeSoto Police Department. DeSoto Reserve Officer and Former Dallas County Sheriff Valdez knew the value a functional canine would bring to the City of DeSoto and began searching for grants. Ultimately, DeSoto secured a grant from a Texas - based nonprofit organization based out of College Station, Texas, called K9s4COPS. Once DeSoto secured the grant, the arduous task of selecting a handler began. DeSoto PD opened the search to Sworn Officers with at least two years of service. Many qualified applicants ap- plied, but in the end, Officer Robertson was selected. In the early summer months of 2022, Officer. Rob- ertson attended canine handler school at Pacsetter K9, which is located in the gorgeous Texas Hill Coun- try. There, Officer. Robertson was paired with his canine partner Gwiazdor. At the time of receipt, Gwiazdor was a 17 - month - old Belgian Malinois, which was trained in Patrol Duties and Narcotic Detec- tion. On June 7, 2022, Robertson and Gwiazdor obtained National Narcotics Detector Dog Association (NNDDA) certification. “ The National Narcotic Detector Dog Association (NNDDA) is a professional, nonprofit organization dedicated to the utilization and proficiency of police service, utility, or scent de- tection dogs for the benefit of Law Enforcement. ” (https://nndda.org/) Gwiazdor and Officer Robertson began limited service in July 2022 and became fully func- tional in October 2022. Since going into active service, Gwiazdor and Officer Robertson have completed 1,566 calls for service, 72 canine deployments, made 29 arrests, and completed 54 offense reports. Of the 49 times Gwiazdor deployed to detect narcotics, he alerted 33 times, resulting in 28 seizures. Addi- tionally, of the 23 times Gwiazdor was deployed to locate a fleeing subject, Gwiazdor found 14 people.
DEPLOYMENT SUMMARY
July 25, 2022 to March 16, 2023
DETECTION
PATROL
DEPLOY- MENTS
ALERTS
SEI- ZURES
DEPLOY- MENTS
ARREST W/BITES
PPL FOUND
BITE RATIO
49
33
28
23
2
14
14%
Community Programs Officer Jessica Ryan ’ s duties include serving as the Community Liaison Officer, Crime Prevention Officer, Recruiter, Off Duty Coordinator and Nar- cotics Trainer for the DeSoto Police Department. Officer Ryan has been with the Department since 2015. Her duties include educating the public on lessening their chances of being victimized by assisting them in establishing Crime Watch groups in their neighborhood. Officer Ryan completed all three training courses mandated by the State to be a certified Crime Preven- tion Officer. She attends regular Home Owners Association meetings to de- liver and discuss crime statistics and “ target hardening ” techniques for the citizens. In addition to this, each spring the City of DeSoto ’ s Senior Citizens are treated to an annual health and safety symposium. The program serves over 200 attendees and consists of free health screening, and up - to date crime prevention information. The Super Heroes & Badges program was created in June 2017. Offic- ers wearing superhero costumes, while displaying their DeSoto Police badge have attended multiple school/city events since its implementation. This draws the children ’ s attention by allowing them to meet their, “ heroes ” while allowing the Officers the opportunity to educate them on Stranger Danger, bullying, utilizing the buddy system when walking to school and drug awareness. The children also ask questions about recent Officer relat- ed shootings. Through this program the Officers are able to reassure them the Police are here to help them, not hurt them. A special thank you to Officer Jessica Ryan a.k.a. “ Wonder Woman ” for her time and effort into this program.
Community Programs (cont.)
Citizen ’ s Police Academy (CPA)
The Citizen Police Academy is a 10 - week interactive class designed for those who live or work in DeSoto. In the academy, the students participate in training on Narcotics, Patrol, DWI education, Crime Scene, Dispatch, Drones and even Gun Range Training. In December 2022, DeSoto CPA class #49 graduated 13 students.
The DeSoto Citizen ’ s Police Academy Alumni Association
The DeSoto Citizen ’ s Police Academy Alumni Association (DCPAAA) was formed to promote communication and create partnerships between the DeSoto Police Department and citizens within the community. Alumni members help with special events, education and fundraising for items not covered in the budget, but are still considered departmental needs. Mem- bers assist at the front desk in the Police Department, go on ride - a - longs, provide support for Police Department and city - sponsored events, and as- sist people in their community. DCPAAA operates under the umbrella of the DeSoto Police Department. Graduates of the Citizen Police Academy formed the association to provide support for the DeSoto Police Depart- ment. Over the years the organization has continued to prove they are a very important resource for the Police Department and the City of DeSoto.
Recruitment Officer Ryan visited with five Police Academy classes, and conducted approximately 250 recruit- ment calls in an attempt to boost attendance at the Civil Service exams. She also contacted mili- tary job placement coordinators to send email blasts regarding the upcoming exams to soldiers exiting the military. Officer Luis Morales was appointed as a Social Media Coordinator to keep the Department ’ s social media is updated. He assisted by posting the Department ’ s upcoming exam information on all social media platforms, and corresponding with the recruiters.
Two civil service exams were held in 2022 (February and June).
The February 2022 test had approximately 20 applicants pass both the written exam and physical agility test. Out of those 20, three were hired (two TCOLE certified Police Officers, one Police Officer Cadet was sent to the Police Academy). The June 2022 test had approximately six applicants pass both the written exam and physical agili- ty test. Out of those six, four were hired (one TCOLE certified Police Officer, and 3 Police Officer Cadets were sent to the Police Academy). Charities The Department conducted a toy drive which allowed us to provide multiple low - income families with toys for Christmas. The drive also allowed Officers to stock their squads with toys to be able to give to children while out on patrol.
Officer Ryan developed a DeSoto Police Department “ Breast Cancer Awareness Patch. ” It is the Department ’ s existing patch, but outlined in pink. Each patch will be sold for $10 each. 80% of the proceeds will be donated to the Celebrating Life Foundation, and 20% will go towards the DeSoto PD Cares Fund.
In 2022 the DCPAAA and Citizens on Patrol members provided 2,802.5 volunteer hours, assisting the De- partment at a value of $64,793.80 to the citizens of DeSoto.
Sheila Johnson Admin Assistant
Lt. Melissa Franks
Raven Thousand, M.A., LPC Team Administrator
DeSoto CARE Team Becomes the Regional CARE Team
The DeSoto C risis A ssessment R esource E ngagement (CARE) Team has been providing behavioral health support to the residents of DeSoto since October 2020. The team ’ s activities consist of follow - up and preventative support, education, self - advocacy, diversion opportunities, system navigation, and warm hand - offs to the most appropriate community referral sources. This year DeSoto was joined by the cities of Cedar Hill, Duncanville, Glenn Heights, and Lancaster. Cedar Hill joined us in August of this year. Duncanville and Glenn Heights joined us in June of this year. Lancaster joined us in May of this year. Collectively, the Regional CARE Team served 630 unique clients through 3,379 individualized engagement attempts, assessments, contacts and follow - ups over the past year. www.regionalcareteam.org
Meet the Regional CARE Team
Jacob Rawlins Police Officer
Carolyn Williams Police Officer
Ambrosio Hernandez Police Officer
Christopher Ross Police Officer
Leniesa Skach Police Officer
Destiny Williams, LCSW Social Services
Yulanda King Victims Assistance
Dulce Martinez, LMSW Victims Assistance
Hannah McCarty, LMSW Social Services
Serving residents of DeSoto, Cedar Hill, Duncanville, Glenn Heights, and Lancaster from a centralized location at: 525 Ray Ave. DeSoto, TX 75115
DeSoto Regional Jail
Jail Mission Statement:
It is our mission as DeSoto Re- gional Jail to maintain care, custo- dy and control of inmates that are confined in our jail as safely as possible and in a constitutional manner. Maintain a safe jail envi- ronment that is in compliance with state and local laws. Our Jailers promote a safe environment that is consistent with human dignity and that is free from personal prejudice and discrimination. The DeSoto Regional Jail is a contract facility and works in full partnership with the cities of DeSoto, Lancaster, Cedar Hill and Duncanville Police Depart- ments. Each city pays 1/4th of the operational cost. The facility is also a contract facility for Glenn Heights and Charlton Methodist Hospital. Other Agencies that use our facility include Cedar Valley College Police, Lancaster ISD Police, Duncanville ISD and Uni- versity of North Texas Police De- partments. The DeSoto Regional Jail can currently hold 55 inmates at a time. In the year 2021 we had 4,051 arrests between Cities. In 2022 we had 4,627 arrests which is an increase of 576 from the pre- vious year.
Brett Evans, Jail Commander
The Desoto Regional Jail has its own in - house transport team, and trans- ports four times weekly. This insures inmates with a charge higher than a Class (C) offense are arraigned by a Dallas County magistrate in a timely manner for bond purposes. DeSoto Regional Jail transported 1,684 in- mates to Dallas County Jail. This past year Dallas County also picked up 501 for a total of 2,185 - up by 207 from last year.
TRAINING COORDINATOR
Officer Harlem The purpose of the Training Coordinator is to maintain responsibility for conducting and coordinating Department training, including scheduling and documenting the ongoing training of personnel. The Coordinator acts as a liaison between the Department and the Texas Commission on Law En- forcement (TCOLE), the state licensing agency responsible for law enforce- ment training standards. Training conducted at the Department is utilized not only by DeSoto officers, but is frequently attended by members of oth- er Police Departments. The Department instructs officers in a wide range of subjects to include defensive tactics, firearms proficiency, Basic SWAT, De - escalation, and intermediate core courses. In 2022, The DeSoto Police De- partment held 87 in - person training courses and contracted with five agen- cies to provide training to their Officers. We hosted 29 more training cours- es in 2022 than the previous year (58 courses). DeSoto Police Department is still partnering with the DeSoto ISD regarding the use of DeSoto East Mid- dle School as a training site. This agreement has allowed us to host outside training entities as well as our own courses, allowing our agency to provide better training to several law enforcement agencies and their Officers. Attendance of these courses contributes to Officers meeting the state man- dated 40 hours of training bi - annually.
Southern Regional Response Group (SRRG) 2022 Annual Report Servo Vita
• Uncompromising Model of Tactical Excellence
Team Background
CORE VALUES
Since this team started 14 years ago we have grown to support the following cities: DeSoto, Lancaster, Midlothian, Glenn Heights, Cedar Hill, Red Oak, Sea- goville, Ovilla, Highland Park, Hutchins and Waxaha- chie. These are the participating agencies within SRRG. Regionalizing the SWAT team has lead to a better tactical capacity within the DFW region. We are now able to pull from the most capable Officers in 11 cities to form a robust SWAT team that is truly capable of managing multiple types of events—from hostage rescue, high risk warrants, barricade and even riot sit- uations. Most of the year the team was steady with calls for high - risk warrant service along with several calls of barricaded individuals. The team has been saving funds in order to purchase a Lenco Bearcat. The Bear- cat is an armored vehicle that sits on a F450 frame that give the team the ability to maneuver better in res- idential locations while still providing heavy armor for protection to the citizens and operators. 2022 provided the team with an additional operator along with 2 new tactical medics.
Discipline
•
Accountability
•
Competence
•
Leadership
•
Perseverance
•
Teamwork
•
Commitment
•
Integrity
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SRRG - SRT 2022 Annual Report Servo Vita Community Events SRRG - SRT participated in 19 events ranging from Citizen Police Academy to STEAM Ex- po at Waxahachie and several career day events in several different member cities. We feel it is important that the community has an understanding of our Regional SWAT team.
AREA OF OPERATION SRRG - SRT continues to move for- ward to provide critical SWAT ser- vices to multiple cities within the Dallas and Ellis County area. SRRG - SRT is now responsible for 11 cities with a total population of approximately 266,434.
TRAINING SRRG - SRT trains approximately 20 hours a month. During monthly training, the team conducted training in Close Quar- ter Battle (CQB), firearms, shield positions, vehicle/bus CQB, gas/less lethal, negotiations, energetic entry, and physical fit- ness. SRT was able to utilize buildings for training from several communities that support SRRG - SRT. The team relies on com- munity support in order to be prepared for critical incidents.
OPERATIONS
In 2022 SRRG - SRT responded to 23 critical incidents with- in the SRRG jurisdictions, up from 13 the previous year.
Last 5
2022 Texas Tactical Peace Officer Conference/TTPOA Conference
TTPOA training Conference for 2022 was held in Round Rock Texas. The Conference affords this team the oppor- tunity to train with world class instructors at a fraction of the cost. Courses that operators attended were; ballistic shield, advanced firearms, vehicle extractions, red dot handgun, and dignitary protection. Two are currently en- rolled in the NTOA Command college courses.
SRRG - SRT TEAM STRUCTURE
At the conclusion of 2022, SRRG has an operating strength of 39 per- sonnel. This includes Command, Operators and Negotiators. The SRRG organization is led by a board that consists of the partici- pating agency Chiefs. The Team Commander is Lt Heath Penwarden of DeSoto, who has one Assistant Commander - Mike Lewis of Waxa- hachie. Sgt. Justin Rivette is the Team Leader for SRT, who has 2 As- sistant team Leaders, 23 operators and 5 medics. The Crisis Negotia- tion Team is lead by Team Leader Lt. Melissa Franks from DeSoto and she has 5 negotiators.
2049 is the badge number of Lancaster Police Officer and original SRT member Craig Shaw. While on duty in Lancaster, Craig was re- sponding to a shooting at an apartment complex where a man had just been murdered. Craig was killed trying to stop the suspect and he paid the ultimate sacrifice protecting the citizens of Lancaster on June 20, 2010. Craig was 37 years old, married, and the father of two. - The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.
City of DeSoto, Code Enforcement
The mission of the Code Enforcement Division is to enforce the codes of the City in order to protect the health, safety and welfare of the community; and, where violations occur, to work with our citi- zens to achieve compliance through an efficient and fair process. There are currently seven (7) full - time and one (1) part - time Code Enforcement Officers. The hours of service provided to the residents are Monday - Friday, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Code Enforcement is also available on Saturdays and Sundays. The importance of Code Enforcement is to protect our citizens by creating a safe and clean city. Because of Code Enforcement, the City of DeSoto is able to maintain and increase property values which are incremental in the continued positive development of our City. In Fiscal Year 2021/2022, Code Enforcement handled 8,700 cases ranging from high weeds and grass, brush, oversized vehicles, junk vehicles, overgrown trees, broken and unsafe fences, parking on unimproved surfaces, trash in yards, house numbers, illegal busi- ness, illegal signs, public right - of - way, substandard structures, unse- cured structures, and stagnate, dense water in swimming pools. The compliance rate for Code Violations was 96%. Code Enforcement hired one new Code Officer, Senester King, who is currently in training.
Animal Control 2022
The mission of the Animal Control Division is to deliver effec- tive, courteous, and responsive animal care and control services to the residents of DeSoto. Animal Control accomplishes the goals of protecting public safety and ensuring animal welfare through com- passionate, responsive, professional enforcement of the laws and public policy. The staff of Animal Control included one (1) full - time Officer and one (1) part - time Officer. These Officers are also concerned with the containment of diseases including Rabies and many other Zoonotic diseases that contribute to or violate City, State and Federal Laws. Animal Control Officers (ACO) assist in public awareness and edu- cation programs that include information on the types of vaccination requirements, neglected and abused animals, education on unsani- tary conditions, stray and or abandoned animals, ownership limita- tion requirements and wildlife and livestock issues. ACO investigate animal bites as well. In Fiscal Year 2020/2021, Animal Control responded to over 5,000 calls consisting of abandoned/neglected animals, animal bites, ani- mal nuisances, barking/noise, deceased animals, injured animals, loose/stray animals, Rabies vaccinations, snake sightings, too many animals, trap services, and vicious animals. The Animal Control Officers took part in various training classes per- taining to include Euthanasia Training, Situation Awareness, Bite Stick Training, and Urban Wildlife Training to name a few. Although we became short staff after one of the officers was on medical leave, Jason Brown (part time), and Joshua Worthy, Code Officer (former Animal Control) Officer, diligently worked in responding to the calls from citizens regarding any Animal Control issue.
Designed by - Sgt. Mikel Edwards #223
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