- November 16, 2024
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Making waves
12:55 p.m., near Jewfish Key
Boating citation: A boater was cited for his failure to carry the required safety equipment during a police encounter prompted by the boater's creation of a wake in a slow-speed, minimum-wake zone. Following up on the stop, the marine-patrol officer explained the reason for his attention on the water and asked to see the legal essentials of boating. The operator could not produce a fire extinguisher, a throwable flotation device or the vessel’s registration paperwork. The boater was given two citations.
Flying away
1:38 p.m., 3000 block of Harborside Drive
Animal complaint: Police responded to the seventh hole at the Longboat Key Club’s red course following a call from a golfer that a goose seemed to be injured and could be found under a tree. The caller had since played ahead, but police personnel did find a goose under a tree, with fishing line wrapped around a foot, which affected the animal’s ability to walk. An animal services officer attempted to catch the goose, but it flew away.
Fire-witness
5:56 a.m., 4900 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Fire assist: A police officer on patrol watched as an electrical transformer caught fire. He notified dispatchers, and fire-rescue personnel quickly arrived.
Time’s up
6:45 a.m., Linley Street
Boating citation: The town’s marine patrol officer, having for weeks kept an eye on a sailboat that was anchored, aground, tipping to the right and on the road to become a derelict vessel, decided enough was enough and cited its out of town owner via certified mail. The officer reported on his most recent visit, the boat did not display the proper lighting for pre-sunrise anchoring and the vessel’s registration numbers were not visible. The officer also reported than numerous attempts to contact the owner over 45 days about the infractions and state of the boat were unsuccessful.
Third-level dilemma
11:28 p.m., 700 block of North Street
Alarm: Police responded to a home in response to an activated intruder alarm. A neighbor met the officer and said he had been talking with the homeowner who said the alarm was triggered at a third-floor sliding door. The neighbor said he had no way to check the door without a ladder since the home was locked. The officer checked over the home and found it secure and spoke to the out-of-town owner, who said he surmised it must have been a false alarm.
What’s ‘namaste’ in German?
2:30 a.m., 3400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Suspicious vehicle: A man, found sleeping in his German sports car at a beach access point, told the officer who stopped to investigate that he was slumbering to ensure a prompt start to his sunrise-meditation routine. The man did not seem under the influence of drugs or alcohol but was nevertheless told he could not park there after (or before) hours. With no criminal wants or warrants found, the man left the beach area.
Generating complaints
5:46 p.m., 6900 block of Bayside Drive
Noise complaints from the water: A resident called police to alert them to chronic noise from an anchored boat’s generator. The resident pointed out the boat to the investigating officer, explaining the noise it generated had been an ongoing issue for about a year. The officer was unable to contact the vessel’s owner but told the resident he would relay the problem to the town’s marine patrol officer for further work.
On the way to help
6:09 p.m., 800 block of Longboat Club Road
Animal complaint: An officer with a net assisted in the capture of an injured seabird on the beach. The bird was unable to walk or fly and was found at the water's edge. Once netted, the bird was taken by an officer to Save our Seabirds for evaluation and treatment.
Hey, Ringo! Keep it down
6:46 p.m., 5100 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Noise complaint from land: On his way to a report of a noise disturbance, an officer spoke to the person calling in the report, who said there was a large party in progress nearby featuring a live band. By the time the officer arrived, the band had stopped playing. Still, the officer learned from a person at the party that she was celebrating from out of town with friends and family a milestone birthday and she didn’t know the town’s rules on noise. The partygoers and band complied with the request to follow the town rules.
No problem
7:17 a.m., 600 block of Cedar Street
Noise complaint from land: A resident’s pre-emptive call about potential work noise earlier than normally allowed hours was investigated and determined to be unfounded. The officer encountered a van with a construction crew inside, but no work had yet taken place. No violations were observed by the officer.
None shall pass
9:06 a.m., 5900 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Fire department assist: Police were called to take part in an operation revolving around a broken gas main. Officers blocked traffic in both directions while fire-rescue personnel and technicians from the gas-utility company capped the leak. Once secured, police released traffic to proceed as normal.
