SLPD News Release: 'Click It or Ticket' Mobilization to Boost Safety Belt Use and Save Lives

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


May 19, 2010

Contact: Doug Adolph

281-275-2724



'Click It or Ticket' Mobilization to Boost Safety Belt Use and Save Lives



Sugar Land, TX -Sugar Land police are joining state and local law enforcement agencies during May 24 to June 6 for an aggressive "Click It or Ticket" mobilization to crack down on safety belt violations and reduce highway fatalities.



Locally, SLPD will focus on the following intersections: U.S. Highway

59 at Highway 6, Sweetwater Boulevard at Palm Royale Boulevard, Country Club Boulevard at Sugar Creek Boulevard, First Colony Boulevard at Colony Lakes Drive, West Airport Boulevard at Eldridge Road, Lexington Boulevard at Colonist Park Drive and Highway 6 at Kensington Boulevard.

The enforcement will also focus on U.S. Highway 59, State Highway 6, U.S. Highway 90A and other areas in the City.



Transportation officials say state laws enacted in 2009 could result in more citations this year if drivers and passengers fail to heed new safety belt requirements.



For the first time, all passengers in the back seat now must be buckled up, and children younger than 8 years old have to ride in a child safety seat or booster seat unless they are taller than 4 feet 9 inches.

Drivers with children in the vehicle will be cited if their young passengers are not properly secured. Fines range from $25 to $250 plus court costs.

According to the Texas Transportation Institute, motorists least likely to buckle up continue to include men, teen boys and pickup drivers and passengers.



"Regular seat belt use is the single most effective way to protect people and reduce fatalities in motor vehicle crashes," said Sgt.

Wayne Coleman, of the SLPD Traffic Division. "When worn correctly, seat belts have proven to reduce the risk of fatal injury to front-seat passenger car occupants by 45 percent - and by 60 percent - in pickup trucks, SUVs and mini-vans."



The enforcement crackdown is funded by a Selective Traffic Enforcement Program grant from the Texas Department of Transportation in the amount of $8,000. The money will be used to pay for overtime to put additional officers on the street.

COSL News Release: Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson to AttendHistoric Minor League Baseball Agreement

Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson to Attend Historic Minor League Baseball Agreement



Sugar Land, TX - Sugar Land City Council will consider a formal agreement with Opening Day Partners, LLC on Tuesday, May 18 to bring a minor league baseball team to Sugar Land.



As part of the public-private partnership, ODP will develop and operate a professional minor league baseball stadium in Sugar Land.



ODP Chairman Peter Kirk and Partner Brooks Robinson, a Major League Baseball Hall of Famer and a member of MLB's All Century Team who won

16 consecutive Gold Glove awards from1960-1975, are expected to travel to Sugar Land for the historic agreement. City Council is scheduled to take action during its regularly scheduled meeting, which begins at 5:30 p.m.



The agreement outlines a process expected to result in Sugar Land's new baseball team taking the field in April 2012. Sugar Land's new team will play in the Atlantic League, independent baseball's highest level. The Atlantic League plays a full season of 140 games, with most players having MLB or Triple-A experience. Sugar Land will be the first club of a planned western division of the Atlantic League.



A "name-the-team" contest will be announced soon with the winner to be awarded lifetime season tickets, according to Jon Danos, ODP's president.



The City is assessing ideal sites for the stadium, locations providing the greatest benefit for the community. One site that continues to be explored is at U.S. Highway 59 and University Boulevard where the City leases land from the University of Houston System at Sugar Land.



"As the project is anticipated to spur significant economic activity and potential ancillary development, we are studying locations within the community where a stadium might provide an economic stimulus for other development projects," said City Manager Allen Bogard.



Sugar Land's pursuit of a public-private partnership for the development and operation of a year-round ballpark is anticipated to result in a "family friendly" multi-use design that will provide the potential to support college and high school baseball tournaments, concerts and other dynamic uses.



"We are honored to have been selected to be a partner in Sugar Land's entry into professional baseball," said Robinson.



"We plan to open an office in Sugar Land soon and will begin becoming a part of this great community," added Kirk.



ODP has a strong background in minor league baseball with more than 27 years of experience in developing multi-use ballparks and successfully owning and/or operating minor league teams of all classifications.



ODP -- a community-focused operator that emphasizes year-round community events and activities at their stadiums -- has designed, constructed and operated 14 such ballparks since 1982. They have owned and operated their own minor league teams, operated teams for others, assisted in the sale and purchase of teams and advised and consulted with communities, U.S. Olympic committees, Major League Baseball and others throughout the world.

City of Sugar Land Crime Prevention Newsletter

Dear Sugar Land residents, We are committed to impacting crime in your area, but we cannot do it well without help from the community. We need citizens like you to assist us with crime detection and deterrence. Always be observant of any suspicious persons or vehicles and notify the police department at 281-275-2525 as quickly as possible. If you see a crime in progress, call 911.

ABC's of Pool Safety A = Adult Supervision Assign an adult to supervise children in and around the swimming pool and spa. This is needed whether there is one parent or guardian present or numerous adults present such as during a family event or party. Maintain constant eye-to-eye supervision with children in and around the swimming pool and spa. Remove children from the swimming pool and spa area for any distraction such as a telephone call, use of restroom, etc. B = Barriers Have a fence enclosure that isolates your swimming pool and spa from the home, play areas, front and side yards and the neighbor’s yard. Make sure all gates in the isolation fence are self-closing and self-latching. Multiple layers of barriers isolating the pool and spa from children should be installed. C = Classes Learn how to perform Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). Enroll your child in swimming lessons. Read more about the ABC's of Pool Safety

Basic Swimming Pool Safety Tips Protect Your Child From Drowning With These Simple Pool Safety Tips Drowning is one of the major causes of accidents resulting in serious injury and death in children. Parents should not be fooled into thinking that their child is safe just because he/she knows how to swim. In a lot of these cases accidents happened even though the child knew swimming. Accidents in the swimming pool can happen very suddenly without warning. It is very important that all parents follow these basic safety precautions especially if there is a swimming pool at home. Never allow your youngster to swim alone without any adult supervision. It is quite common to develop a cramp underwater, or for accidents like hitting your head while diving for example, to occur. It is paramount that there should be persons around to help in such situations. Do not allow children with no knowledge of swimming in or around the pool. For good pool safety make sure that all kids above the age of 4 attend a certified swimming class, or at least learn basic flotation techniques and life saving techniques in case of accidents. Children younger than 4 should always be accompanied by their parents in the pool. Read more Swimming Pool Safety Tips

Diving Safety The Consumer Product Safety Commission Cautions Divers about Improper Diving Practices Diving injuries can result in quadriplegia, paralysis below the neck, to divers who hit the bottom or side of a swimming pool, according to CPSC. Divers should observe the following precautions: Never dive into above-ground pools. They are too shallow. Don't dive from the side of an in-ground pool. Enter the water feet first. Dive only from the end of the diving board and not from the sides. Dive with your hands in front of you and always steer up immediately upon entering the water to avoid hitting the bottom or sides of the pool. Don't dive if you have been using alcohol or drugs because your reaction time may be too slow. Improper use of pool slides presents the same danger as improper diving techniques. Never slide down head first-slide down feet first only.

Crime Trends Identify Theft Identity theft, or identity fraud, is when one person assumes another person’s identity by obtaining personal information for deceptive use or criminal activity. Many times, identity theft is done to gain access to finances or frame another person for a crime. Identity theft is, in short, a crime against another person. Your personal information, such as your Social Security Number, your bank account and credit card numbers and other identifying data are not unique to you as your fingerprints are. Obtaining this information may be a little easier than you think, and there are plenty of uses for your personal information if it falls into the wrong hands. Identity theft is on the rise around the world, mostly because it is getting increasingly easier to obtain people’s private information with the dawn of the Internet. Every day, more and more web sites are popping up on the Internet and more and more of them are not legitimate businesses-they are only there to get your information, preferably your credit card number, so they can commit fraud and charge your card or assume your identity. Sugar Land residents are not immune to this type of activity. Last year there were just over 300 reported cases of Fraud, this was an increase from 2008 in which there were just over 260 cases reported to the police department. Read additional preventive steps to keep in mind to lower your risk from becoming a victim

Traffic Law Reminder Sgt. Wayne Coleman with the Sugar Land Police Dept. would like to remind drivers that cell phone usage in school zones is illegal. There are signs posted in all school zones with-in the city limits of Sugar Land. This does not mean while school is in session. It’s before and after school while the lights are flashing or the school zone speed limit is enforced. The only exception is when you have a hands free device. Texas - House Bill 55 - House bill 55 was signed by the Governor in June of 2009. The new law prohibits the use of a wireless communication device within a school crossing zone.

Questions or Concerns If you have any questions or concerns about crime in your area, please feel free to call our office. Crime Prevention Unit: Sgt Mike Richards 281-275-2509 Officer Eric Babnew Beat 1 281-275-2578 Officer Amy Cummins Beat 2 281-275-2575 Officer Harris Johnston Beat 3 281-275-2580 Officer Ron Foster Beat 4 281-275-2579 Officer Lauren Stockholm Beat 5 281-275-2956 Beat Map

Daily Crime Report To check criminal activity in your area, click here. You may perform a search on your specific subdivision or view all areas of the City.

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Motorist Safety First

Because of multiple accidents at Watts Plantation and Sienna Parkway, Missouri City will initiate the following safety measures in the next few weeks:



*Install a prohibitive left turn movement from westbound Watts Plantation onto southbound Sienna Pkwy; *Allow an eastbound left turn movement from Sienna Pkwy to Watts Plantation; *Prohibit U-turn movements at two median openings just north of the Watts Plantation/Sienna Pkwy intersection; *Allow U-turns at the protected left signal at Sienna Pkwy and Sienna Springs; and *Install a flexible curb system, add pavement markings, and add signage at the Watts Plantation/Sienna Pkwy intersection to ensure visibility and improve warning.


Prior to median closures, the city also will implement the following cut-through traffic prohibition:

*Install selected striping on Diamond Springs Drive to establish a definitive two-lane neighborhood street.

Police patrol units will be on-hand in the first weeks of the median closures to monitor traffic and deter speeding.

The recent multiple accidents led Missouri City to commission a traffic engineering analysis to evaluate accident history for the past three years. The analysis considered turning movements, sight distance, existing roadway geometrics and potential traffic calming measures. The impending extension of Fort Bend Parkway in the near future to intersect with Sienna Parkway was also considered.

The city will monitor traffic patterns at the above intersection and at Silver Ridge Blvd. before and after the implementation to see if other mitigation efforts are needed.

The city regrets motorist inconvenience but believes motorist safety comes first.

For questions, call 281-403-8500 or email publicworks@missouricitytx.gov


Stacie Walker

Public Information Manager

City of Missouri City
1522 Texas Parkway
Missouri City, Texas 77489
281-403-8530
swalker@missouricitytx.gov

Thieves Targeting Catalytic Converters In MoCity Subdivisions

Missouri City police are targeting catalytic converter thieves who have in the last 30 days stolen 10 of the car parts from Toyota 4-Runners in the Fonmeadow and Fondren Park subdivisions.


Catalytic converters are used to reduce vehicle emissions, and are mounted on the underside of all gasoline-fueled vehicles. They are located on the exhaust system between the engine and the muffler. Thieves are stealing the converters because they contain expensive metal parts that can be sold.

Police are putting extra patrols in the subdivisions, as well as preparing a pamphlet for residents in those areas. The homeowner’s associations have also been contacted and warned about the thefts.

“Please make every effort to secure your vehicle in an area not easily accessible to these thieves,” said the statement t residents from MCPD. “If possible, park your vehicle in your secured garage during the overnight hours.”
Residents should report any suspicious activity to the police department at 281-403-8700


Respectfully,

Lieutenant Dwayne Williams
Missouri City Police Department
Patrol Division
281-403-8745