Longboat Key Cops Corner: That license is suspended

Oct. 27

You’ve been warned

11:24 a.m., 1900 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic: The town’s license-plate monitoring system alerted officers to a vehicle owned by a driver with an expired license. Once the officer found and stopped the car, the driver confirmed he had just learned of his suspended license and had recently been cited. The driver was issued a written warning and told the officer he would tend to the expired license the next day.

Canoe take care of this?

2:20 p.m., Sister Keys

Unsecured boat: An officer was sent to the area of Sister Keys on a report of a green canoe adrift east of the islands. The officer relayed to the county dispatch center that no marine patrol officer was available, and that he would forward information to the next one on duty.

Sound familiar?

2:20 p.m., 700 block of Broadway Street

Found property: A boater reported finding a green canoe near Sister Keys and towed it to an area along the east end of Broadway Street. A responding officer took note of the registration number and tried to reach its last known registered owner, without immediate results. The canoe was taken to the police department and registered as found property for safe keeping.

Move it

2:31 p.m., 3000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic: The driver of a truck parked in the center turn lane to unload a vehicle was told by an officer such an activity was illegal and the truck would have to be moved immediately. The driver was issued a verbal warning, and the truck was moved.

Too close

6:48 p.m., 600 block of Broadway Street

Traffic: A pickup truck parked less than 50 feet from the east side of the intersection of Broadway Street and Poinsettia Avenue was ticketed.

Use your indoor voices

11:05 p.m., 5800 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Noise: A caller to police said the sound of voices nearby was disturbing them. An officer arriving to speak to the group reported hearing loud voices and encountered about 10 people on a lanai. He asked them to keep their voices down, and the group apologized and moved indoors. The caller said this was the second night of such a disturbance.

Oct. 28

Broken, not abandoned

10:39 a.m., Linley Street boat ramp

Boat: While on marine patrol, a patrol officer was sent to the area of the Linley Street boat ramp on a report of an abandoned vessel. The officer reported knowing about this boat, which was anchored in the area because it was disabled. The officer contacted the owner to say the boat was within 150 feet of the boat ramp, which is not allowed. The owner said he would move it as soon as possible.

Time to listen and learn

1:24 p.m., Longboat Pass bridge

Boat violation: The department’s marine patrol officer was called to the area of the Longboat Pass bridge after a caller reported personal watercraft being operated recklessly. Upon his arrival, the officer saw no reckless operation, but did see numerous personal watercraft in the area. He advised them of the complaint and  talked to them about the requirements of a slow-speed area.

Oct. 29

Missing a sign?

3:10 a.m., 300 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Code enforcement: An officer on patrol spotted a temporary sign in violation of town codes, placed near the highway. It was removed and brought to the police department.

Plus 10

8:37 a.m., 6900 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic violation: An SUV heading north was stopped by police after it was monitored at 45 mph in a 35 mph zone. The driver was issued a written warning. A short time later,  a sedan was stopped for a similar speed in the same area. Its driver  also was warned.

Convenient, yet illegal

4:24 p.m., 700 block of Broadway Street

Traffic violation: A car parked outside of the marked areas on the westbound side of the street was ticketed.

Seeing the light

7:04 p.m., 1200 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic violation: A police officer assisted a driver in properly setting her car’s automatic headlights after the officer spotted the car operating without headlights after sunset. A verbal warning was also issued.

Oct. 30

Not here, not now

12:35 a.m., 500 block of General Harris Street

Parking: An officer on patrol encountered a vehicle parked in an area where parking is prohibited between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. The vehicle was ticketed for the violation.

We’re going out for breakfast

7:15 a.m., 200 block of Sands Point Road

Alarm: An activated fire alarm drew a response from fire-rescue and police. Upon the arrival of first-responders, they learned the alarm had been set off by burnt food. No further action was required.

No middle ground

10:40 a.m., 1000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic: An officer on patrol encountered a car-hauling truck parked in the middle of Gulf of Mexico Drive. The officer turned on his emergency lights and stopped behind the rig, telling the driver it was improper to park there while delivering a client’s vehicle. The officer suggested other options for the maneuver.

In a flash

10:47 a.m.,  1000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic: A driver received a written warning after an officer witnessed a vehicle pass through a crosswalk while the flashing lights and pedestrians waiting to cross. The driver said he didn’t see the illuminated warning lights until it was too late to stop. He told the officer he would pay more attention to the crosswalks in the future.

Oct. 31

No picnic

9:04 a.m., 100 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Public service: Police were called to Overlook Park to look into a report of a large wooden table in the adjacent water. The officer arrived to find a picnic table floating in the water. With assistance of a boater, the officer was able to get a rope tied to the table and haul it close to shore. It was tied to a boardwalk rail and the town’s Public Works Department was notified.

Time for a walk

4:21 p.m., Police Headquarters

Animal call: A resident came to the police station to file a report concerning a neighbor who let her dogs run loose. The resident said he and other neighbors reminded the woman about leash rules and he wanted to make a formal report. An officer who visited the neighborhood found the woman walking her dogs with a leash. She said she had been told to do so, and she would use leashes from now on.

A sprinkling of trouble

9:29 p.m., 1100 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Alarm: Police went to a gated condo community on a report of an audible alarm that had been activated since 4 p.m. A security guard said the malfunctioning alarm was connected to the community’s sprinkler system. The officer was told the system was being worked on by maintenance and that the property manager had been contacted to shut off the alarm system.