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Article
BSPD Citizen Police
Academy Graduates
2nd Class
written by Sgt.
Allen Kintz
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On March 11,
2009 there was an air of excitement in
the Multi-purpose room as a crowd
began to gather at the Howard L. Brown
Public Safety Building. Sixteen
individuals began the BSPD citizen
police academy; nine weeks earlier,
they had become a team about to enjoy
graduation.
During the graduation event, each
participant came to the front and
spoke about the highlights and the
funny moments through the class.
Highlights often
included stories about firearms
training, including the scenario
simulation where class members had to
decide "to shoot or not to
shoot". When asked why they
shot an unarmed man in the simulation,
one student stated "because he
shouldn't have been running".
Finding out how difficult life or
death situations are, even under safe
simulation situations was a revelation
to the graduates.
Students often mentioned the night
when they conducted building searches
and vehicle stops. Students were
instructed in the reasons that
officers conduct car stops and why
they do things a particular way during
those stops.
They were then
taken inside at Lucy Franklin
Elementary, who had graciously allowed
the use of their building, where the
lights were turned out and students
were given flashlights and taught how
police officers properly search a
building in the dark where suspects
might be hiding.
While conducting
simulated searches, most expressed
amazement at the stress level caused
by this exercise, even knowing it was
not real.
Mayor Carson
Ross and First Lady Eloise Ross
demonstrated their support of the
program by attending the entire
academy, as did Councilman Lyle Shaver
and Planning Commission member Jim
May.
During each week of the academy, class
members participated in hands-on
training designed to help them
understand how and why Officers do
what they do, and to get input from
citizens on how BSPD can best serve
public needs.
At first
thought, participants were somewhat
saddened to see the time come to an
end. However, the fact that in
the audience were many members of the
first graduating class highlighted the
fact that the Blue Springs Police
Department Citizen Police Academy
Alumni Association has been formed to
continue a long term relationship
between the citizen graduates and the
Blue Springs Police Department.
Blue Springs
Police Department Citizen Academy
Class 3 is already in progress; if you
are interested in participating in a
future class, call Sergeant Allen
Kintz at 816-228-0178 or send an
e-mail to the police department at police@bluespringsgov.com
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|
 News
Happenings
Around Town
A
monthly message from your
Blue
Springs Mayor and
City Council
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Greetings!
Hello and welcome to another
informative edition of News
Happenings Around Town, your
one-stop source for City information
and news updates, including those
items most important to you.
As you look around the City, signs
of a new season are all around us.
Beautiful tulips in early bloom,
green grass and lush park grounds
and citizens walking - enjoying the
fresh March air... all of which are
signs that positive activity is
taking place in our community.
Spring is a special season, as it
tends to signify a time of
rejuvenation, rebirth and
innovation. In Blue Springs, the
spring season means more than just a
change in the weather, but it is
also a reminder of our city's
commitment to serve our citizens to
the best of our ability, each and
every day. As we continue to move
forward in these next few months, I
encourage citizens to be a part of
the ongoing progress in our
community by:
- Joining some of the many crime
prevention and neighborhood watch
efforts of our Police Department
- Getting involved with
volunteer-based programs such as
Adopt-a-Street, and
- Exploring some of the City's
quality of life amenities such as
its parks and trails.
As always, please continue sharing
this timely publication and spreading
the word about what's good and going
on in the City of Blue Springs.
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Community
Crime Prevention Satellite Office
Now Open
 Earlier
this month, the Police Department
opened their second
Community Crime Prevention satellite
office at 1300 NW Candletree Drive
in the Autumn Place complex, City
Council District 2. It
will be open from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00
p.m. every Tuesday. It is the
Department's goal to establish and
maintain a presence in each of the
three Council districts.
Similar to the satellite facility at
the Villas at Autumn Bend (Council
District 3), we will have a 2-hour
set time every week in which a
full-time crime prevention officer
and additional volunteer will be
available to the public. These
offices are designed to encourage
interaction with area citizens,
create more visibility, strengthen
existing partnerships in
neighborhoods, and enhance the
ability to distribute crime
prevention and crime-free
information.
The location for satellite office is
being graciously provided by the
management of the apartment complex,
along with the use of the clubhouse
as needed for meetings or
gatherings. Autumn Place
Apartments has been involved in
the crime-free program for many
years, having hosted our first
crime-free class several years ago.
The manager of the apartment
complex is also a recent
graduate of the Blue Springs Police
Department's Citizen Police Academy.
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Mayor
and Citizens Get Marching!
On Friday, March 20, I was
joined by more than 50
members of City staff,
neighboring businesses and
local citizens for a
refreshing 30-minute walk
through the streets of
downtown Blue Springs. Our
event, March with the
Mayor, was the first
of what I hope will become
a regular community
activity, one designed to
get citizens up and moving
- striding towards better
health and fitness.
The event was coordinated
by Assistant City Clerk
Sheryl Morgan and was
co-sponsored by the Blue
Springs Employees' Biggest
Loser Wellness Challenge
and Blue Springs Families
in Training (F.I.T.).
Weather was great and
spirits were high, what a
great way to start the
first day of Spring!
I encourage all of you to
join me for our next March
with the Mayor, this
Friday, March 27 at
Keystone Park, 2214 SW
Keystone Drive. We expect
several more to be in
attendance at this
Friday's event, as we have
invited the student body
at Daniel Young Elementary
School. For more
information, contact
Sheryl Morgan at (816)
655-0495 or visit www.bluespringsgov.com/walk.
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City
Enhances Government Channel 7
In
order to broaden our level
of communications outreach
and public information, the
City has recently
reorganized the broadcasting
schedule for Comcast Cable
Channel 7 (CTV-7).
We are now broadcasting the
Jackson County Legislative
meetings on Channel 7 three
times a week, every Sunday,
Tuesday and Thursday at
11:00am and 6:00pm each day.
Adding these meetings to our
viewing lineup provides an
additional opportunity for
citizens to keep informed
about local and county
issues. Also, we are
pleased that two Jackson
County Legislators reside
here in Blue Springs,
Theresa Garza and Greg
Grounds. The meetings
will air on days alternate
to City Council and Planning
Commission meetings, which
will continue to air on
Monday (live), Wednesday,
Friday and Saturday.
Additionally, with the
upcoming season of inclement
weather, the City will also
be airing a 30-second Public
Service Announcement (PSA)
created by the Emergency
Management Committee of
Mid-America Regional Council
(MARC) on weather
preparedness.
Please contact Merideth
Parrish, City Public
Information Officer at (816)
655-0497 for any additional
questions you may have.
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City Wins
Distinguished Budget Presentation
Award 
It is with great pleasure that
I report that the City of Blue
Springs has recently been
awarded the Distinguished
Budget Presentation Award
for the Fiscal Year beginning
October 1, 2008.
The award is presented by the
Government Finance Officers
Association (GFOA). A
panel of independent reviewers
completed an examination of
the City's budget and
evaluated it against a set of
program criteria established
by the GFOA. The
Distinguished Budget Award is
the highest award in
governmental budgeting and is
given to those government
units whose budgets adhere to
program standards.
Congratulations to Christine
Cates and other Finance staff
who manage the annual budget
process.
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Public
Safety Committee Work to  Conclude
The Mayor's
Public Safety Advisory Committee,
Chaired by Emil Spears, is beginning
to conclude their work and analysis
of the Blue Springs Police
Department. The Committee has
been conducting interviews,
gathering information, and reviewing
various budget, program, and policy
issues since being created last
September. They have
formulated several recommendations
which have been presented to City
Administrator, Eric Johnson and I
for consideration and discussion.
The committee will continue to
finalize its recommendations with
staff and Council and make a formal
report to the City Council sometime
this summer.
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I hope you
have found this issue of News
Happenings Around Town to be
both informative and timely for
your City information needs. Is
there anything we missed? Do you
have questions about any of the
articles from this issue? Share
your thoughts with me and the City
Council by calling City Hall at
(816) 228-0110. Know that we truly
value your time and support for
our City and hope you join us for
the next issue of News
Happenings.
Sincerely,
Carson Ross,
Mayor
City of Blue
Springs
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