BRISTOL — Bristol police on April 11 hosted the fifth Bristol community crime forum, which had a focus on school safety in light of the school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn.
Attendees were briefed on the progress of forums to date by facilitator Kate McGowan and current status of drug crime issues by Police Chief Kevin Gibbs.
Addison Northeast Supervisory Union Superintendent David Adams and his staff detailed safety changes made in Five Town Area schools since the Newtown tragedy and fielded questions.
At the conclusion of the meeting participants were asked to sign up for subcommittees to act on findings from the community forums. Citizens interested in more information, or who are interested in joining a subcommittee, should contact the Bristol Police Department at 802-453-2533.
In other recent activity, Bristol police:
•  On April 8 transported a disruptive Mount Abraham Union High School student to the student’s home.
•  On April 9 received a report that a woman had been receiving death threats by phone and Facebook from her ex-husband, who lives in the Rutland area. Bristol police increased patrols of the neighborhood and alerted the Rutland County Sheriff’s Department.
•  On April 10 an officer attended a training focused on child sex crimes investigations.
•  On April 11 disposed of hypodermic needles found behind a dumpster near Main Street Storage and in the restroom at Sip-N-Suds Laundromat.
•  On April 11 responded to a report of a disruptive juvenile at a Munsill Avenue office building.
•  On April 11 checked the welfare of a juvenile resident of Garfield Street following a report from a school counselor. The student had reported to the counselor she was afraid a family member might harm her. The check revealed another family member had addressed the concern.
•  On April 11 responded to Munsill Avenue, where a tenant reported that his landlord entered his apartment without permission and without proper notice. The man said that he was moving from the apartment and had moved all his property out, but had not had time to clean up and take photos to prove there was no damage so he could get his security deposit back. The tenant was afraid the landlord would cause damage and not return his deposit.
•  On April 13 responded to a request by the Vermont State Police to assist with a domestic incident at a Lower Notch Road residence involving an armed subject. The suspect was apprehended without incident and the investigation was conducted by VSP.
•  On April 13 were notified of a missing purse/wallet that had been last seen in the downtown area. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Bristol police.
•  On April 13 checked the North Street area after an unidentified elderly female subject was seen approaching vehicles and appearing confused. Police were unable to locate the woman.
•  On April 13, conducted a directed traffic patrol on East Street, which resulted in speed-related traffic citations.
•  On April 13 safely disposed of a syringe found in a wooded area on North Street.
•  On April 13 cited William Carl Orvis, 42, of Middlebury for driving with a suspended license during a traffic stop initiated on West Street after a routine registration check showed the registered owner under suspension.
•  On April 14 cited John Caton Lawrence, 44, of Bristol for driving with a suspended license, possession of marijuana, and violating his conditions of release.
•  On April 14 stopped a green 1998 Subaru Impreza on North Street because the operator had a suspended driver’s license. A consent search of the vehicle revealed evidence of drug paraphernalia and empty drug-related packing. No criminal action was taken in this incident.
•  On April 14 responded to an altercation in front of a Main Street apartment between several people. Several subjects left in two vehicles. Bristol police located one subject on Main Street, who informed police the altercation started after one of the others tried to hit him with a vehicle as he was walking across Main Street in the crosswalk. Subjects have been identified and a follow-up investigation is being conducted.
•  On April 15 responded to a report of a hit-and-run crash at the intersection of Airport Drive, West Street and Stony Hill Road. A Starksboro woman’s vehicle was hit by a pickup truck that had passed her on the right and continued right on Stony Hill Road. The woman was unable to get a plate number from the truck as it was belching black smoke from the exhaust pipe, according to police. The suspect driver and vehicle were located on April 16. A 16-year-old New Haven male was cited for leaving the scene of an accident.
•  On April 15 responded to a Church Street residence after a woman returned home to find a screen had been peeled away from a window outside her apartment. An initial check revealed nothing was disturbed or taken from the home.
•  On April 15 received a report that the complainant’s juvenile daughter was receiving unwanted phone calls from a female adult neighbor. The complainant requested the adult neighbor be notified the calls were unwanted. The woman was notified and agreed to stop making the phone calls.
•  On April 15 responded to a reported citizen dispute in the Shaw’s parking lot. It was determined that the ongoing dispute was related to a domestic incident that had occurred on Lower Notch Road in the Vermont State Police coverage area. No arrests were made in the incident however a report will be submitted to the Addison County State’s Attorney’s office for potential charges of disorderly conduct. The Lower Notch Road incident is under investigation by the Vermont State Police New Haven Barracks.
•  On April 15 were notified that an unknown man in a green sedan with unknown registration made unwelcome comments toward a local woman walking on Mountain Street near Bristol Elementary School. A suspect has not yet been identified.
•  On April 16 attended a meeting at the request of MAUHS to assist in a plan to assist a female student with services, and a plan to keep her involved in school. A parent and representatives from the school, as well as other agencies, participated in developing a plan for this student.
•  On April 16 issued two trespassing notices to a teenage boy at the request of Hub teen center staff and a member of the Bristol Recreation Club. The teen had repeatedly violated the Hub’s conduct rules and then threatened staff when they attempted to address the behavior. A second trespass notice was issued for the rest of the recreation field at the request of an officer of the Bristol Recreation Club. Both notices were served to the teen through his parents.
•  On April 16 spotted a small, older black Lab dog in the Main Street area with no identifying tags. Anyone with information on the owner of this animal is asked to contact the Bristol PD.
•  On April 16 responded to a reported gas drive-off at a West Street gas station. The black Chevrolet pickup went west on Route 116 and reportedly had a loud exhaust. Police said the driver was a white male with reddish-blond curly hair wearing a yellow shirt, who left the scene as the clerk attempted to approach him. One suspect has been identified. Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Bristol police.
•  On April 16 received information related to a large-scale theft operation in Rutland County. Bristol police were able to recover a “large amount” of stolen property for a local resident. The investigation is ongoing in cooperation with the Rutland County Sheriff’s Department.
•  On April 17 assisted Middlebury police with an alarm at a business on Court Street, as all on-duty Middlebury and VSP units were dealing with a major incident elsewhere. The building was found to be secure.
•  On April 17 responded to a burglary alarm activation at Lathrop’s Mill, but found it was a false alarm.
•  On April 17 placed a radar cart to show drivers their speed on Notch Road in response to a request from the selectboard.
•  On April 18 received information regarding the whereabouts of stolen maple syrup production equipment related to an ongoing VSP investigation. During a follow-up investigation numerous items of equipment were recovered from a local resident. Follow-up investigation continues.
•  On April 18 responded to an alarm activation at the municipal office, and found that an employee had set off the alarm by accident.
•  On April 19 conducted a town-contracted patrol on Notch Road in response to citizen complaints and a selectboard request. No violations were observed.
•  On April 19 received a report of juveniles on the roof of a dugout near the riding ring on Liberty Street. They were located, and they told the responding officers that one had to climb onto the roof to retrieve a shoe that had been thrown on top. Police advised a recreation club member of the incident. Further investigation found a support board had been kicked off the dugout, and, at the request of the recreation club, police issued trespass notices to the two juveniles.
•  On April 19 received a report of a man walking on Pine Street with a red bandanna over his mouth and nose carrying what looked like a bow. The man was not located.