By DAVID TELLER
Staff Reporter
The maxim “loose lips, sink ships” held true as the Cheney Police Department busted a large drinking party on May 30 in Cheney, making 35 arrests, according to the May Monthly Accountability Review (MAR).
Cmdr. Rick Campbell said the department discovered the party being advertised on the Internet social networking website, Facebook. Once investigators confirmed the address, which was listed as being on the 100 block of Fourth Street, that the advertisement was true and that the party actually was scheduled, the department obtained a search warrant.
With the help of Eastern Washington University Police Department, Cheney Police surrounded the house to prevent anyone trying to escape and served the warrant a little after 1 a.m. where officers discovered a large number of minors present, but also some individuals that were of legal drinking age.
“That was 35 arrests,” Campbell said. “That doesn't mean there were only 35 people at the party.”
He added that those who were legally of age were allowed to leave the party after the warrant had been served, identifications were verified and arrests were made. Campbell added that there were no juveniles arrested.
He said that the residence involved is not known by police as a notorious “party house.”
The busted party raised the department's alcohol arrests to 41 for May, which is a large increase compared to the 11 arrests in April and 19 arrests in May 2008. Prior to the May 30 arrests, last January saw the largest number of alcohol arrests in Cheney for this year with 24.
In other MAR news, Cheney Police are getting a seasoned veteran in the department. Vertie Brown came out of retirement and will work for the detective's office as a reserve officer.
Before coming to work for Cheney, Campbell said Brown was the investigator for the EWUPD during the early and mid-1980s. After retiring from that position, Brown went to Clarkston, Wash., where Campbell said he was the chief of police “for a number of years.”
“This is somebody with prior investigative skills that wants to re-deploy them,” Campbell said of the wealth of experience Brown brings to the department. “We figure that's a win for everybody.”
The Cheney Police Department requires all reserves to dedicate 20 hours per month as a minimum. Campbell said though Brown is working his own schedule, he doing more than the department's minimum.
Crime in Cheney remains unremarkable. Campbell said theft continues to be a bit high, but added that people not leaving wallets and high dollar-value electronic items in plain sight in their vehicles could prevent a lot of them. Other property is popular among thieves during warmer months.
“It's bicycle time again this year,” he said.
Money is not a problem for the department. With 41.7 percent of the year elapsed, the department is still under budget with 37.4 percent of it spent. While expenses were incurred with new uniforms damaged from the winter storms earlier this year, the department has kept expenses like overtime in check.
David Teller can be reached at [email protected]
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