Citrus Heights Police Lt. Chad Morris speaks during a Feb. 1 memorial service for Officer Ty Lenehan. // Image credit: KCRA
By Mike Hazlip–
During a memorial service on Tuesday, a Citrus Heights police lieutenant recalled his friendship and experience working with Ty Lenehan, an Elk Grove police officer who was killed last month by a wrong way driver.
Speaking during a Feb. 1 service at Bayside Church Adventure Campus in Roseville, Lieut. Chad Morris said Lenehan’s first steps into law enforcement were with the Citrus Heights Police Department around a decade ago. Morris said he and Lenehan shared a common background as “private sector defectors,” noting the two first worked in private sector jobs before starting their law enforcement careers.
In an email to The Sentinel on Wednesday, Morris said Lenehan could have continued the family business as an electrician, but chose law enforcement after completing his service in the Air Force.
“He decided on the latter and never looked back,” Morris wrote.
Lenehan served as a reserve officer in Citrus Heights from Dec. 10, 2012 through June 28, 2014. He later served for two years in the Galt Police Department, before joining the force in Elk Grove in 2016.
Morris recalled how he first met Lenehan through a mutual friend, and how Lenehan later approached him about joining law enforcement. Morris told him the profession had personally been extremely rewarding, but recalled giving him a “disclaimer” that he tells others who ask the same question: it’s a dangerous job.
“I never realized that that disclaimer would become real,” Morris told the audience at the memorial, pausing to keep his composure. He also said one of the last text messages he got from Lenehan said, “I’m loving life. I have my dream job, and I wish I could do this forever.”
In other remarks, Morris described Lenehan as a “great guy” with an infectious smile, and said he admired Lenehan’s attitude.
“Ty loved his church, and he loved his faith,” the lieutenant said. “And most of all Ty loved his family. He loved his wife Jessica and his kids, Sidney and Austin. He was always talking about them.”
After playing a voicemail he had saved from Lenehan, an emotional Morris closed his remarks by saying: “Ty, I love you brother. Until we meet again.”
In a statement to The Sentinel, Citrus Heights Police Chief Alex Turcotte said Lenehan made many lasting friendships within the department and said his badge, No. 39, has been officially retired in his honor.
“He is fondly remembered for his contagious smile, strong work ethic, and being a genuine human being that loved to keep people laughing,” said Turcotte. “Our Citrus Heights Community will never forget our friend and hero, Officer Lenehan.”
Lenehan was killed Jan. 21 while on his way to work with the Elk Grove Police Department when a suspected drunk driver entered Highway 99 and traveled northbound in the southbound lanes. Lenehan was riding his police motorcycle and was struck head-on near the 12th Avenue exit. No other vehicles were involved, according to reports.
A memorial fund has been set up by CAHP Credit Union. Texas Roadhouse in Citrus Heights is also donating 20% of each food purchase to Lenehan’s family for orders received through Thursday, Feb. 3, from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.
A full recording of Tuesday’s memorial service can be viewed on Youtube.
Lt. Chad Morris holds one of CHPD’s new drone units. // Thomas Sullivan
By Thomas J. Sullivan– In about 90 seconds, a licensed and trained Citrus Heights police officer can put one of the department’s three drones 150 feet in the sky, going quickly where officers once thought they couldn’t go.
The guiding hand behind the city’s new Unmanned Aerial System program is Chad Morris, special operations lieutenant for CHPD, who oversees the overall deployment of the department’s three drone units currently in the field and the Federal Aviation Administration license training required of each officer.
“It’s a total force multiplier,” Morris told The Sentinel in a recent interview, referring to the new aerial capabilities the department has in its toolbox. He prefers to refer the new devices as Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), rather than using the term “drone,” although the terms refer to the same device.
The program “launched” last year and Morris became the city’s first licensed pilot on Dec. 14, 2018. By the middle of last month, Morris told the City Council that drones had been utilized about 50 times in Citrus Heights, with more than 10 hours of total air time.
One of the department’s drones features a thermal imaging camera, which has enabled officers to be guided from above as they conduct night patrols of the city’s parks and trails.
Four CHPD officers, including Morris, have completed a 20-hour FAA self-study course and passed their federal 107 FAA pilot’s license to legally operate one of the city’s UAS units. Twenty-six additional officers are also interested in obtaining an FAA pilot’s license, Morris said.
“As a law enforcement agency we have to follow very strict guidelines as we run our UAS program,” said Morris. “CHPD had to obtain a Certificate of Operation from the Federal Aviation Administration. The COA gives us blanket authorization to fly in all federal air spaces.”
Unmanned aircraft systems are inexpensive enough that almost any law enforcement agency can now afford one. Starting from around $400, a UAS runs on rechargeable batteries, with an endurance of less than 30 minutes.
Morris estimated CHPD’s initial procurement cost for the department’s three drones ran about $8-10,000, with an in-house study course for training officers running $250.
The department’s UAS devices can fly to a ceiling of 1,600 feet, but typically flies to not more than 400 feet. Its best operational altitude is between 100-150 feet. Storage cases to carry a UAS system can be placed in any police vehicle for quick deployment, Morris said.
Morris, a graduate of UC Davis, has been a CHPD
officer for 10 years. He began his law enforcement career following a
successful private sector tech career, first joining the Reserves and then
applied for a full-time position. He rose quickly in the CHPD ranks and enjoys
his role as Special Operations Lieutenant.
A self-described photography buff, Morris said when he bought his first personal drone, “it completely changed the way I looked at film and the way I took my own home movies.”
He quickly recognized the potential that drones might offer CHPD and helped draft a proposal to the City Council for the purchase of its own UAS units. In the same way, deployment of body cameras have been a game-changer for law enforcement operations, UAS systems have revolutionized many aspects of police work.
Morris credits Captain Ryan Gifford, of Metro Fire, for helping with the UAS program in Citrus Heights. He says Metro Fire currently uses drones to help check for hotspots and also assist in search and rescue.
The Citrus Heights Police Department is now part of a UAS regional team formed by Capt. Gifford that works with device vendors to share information and support other law enforcement agents who are getting their program started.
According to an April 2017 report from the Bard Institute, at least 347 state and local police, sheriff, fire and EMS departments in the U.S. have acquired UAS systems, with local law enforcement leading public safety drone acquisitions. That number had increased to 910 agencies by May 2018, and has likely grown since.
‘Revolutionary’ potential From hazardous materials (HAZMAT) calls, locating missing children and responding to potential bomb threats, UAS technology is an important tool for law enforcement professionals and continues to change how police agencies can respond to a wide range of incidents can help keep the public safe, Morris said.
“It’s
proven technology, and its overall potential in law enforcement is
revolutionary,” Morris said. The communications signal of each UAS which is
encrypted in real time, can stream live video from above to over 100 police
officers with no loss of signal.
“The benefits to
using this kind of UAS technology in rescue operations also includes reductions
in cost and risk to personnel that come with using manned aircraft,” he said.
“In special operations, UAS systems can also gain crucial intelligence on a suspect’s location without risking the lives of officers when turning blind corners in a building or attempting to locate an armed suspect who has the high ground,” Morris said.
“We’re still in a learn-as-you-go stage, since UAS is rapidly evolving,” said Morris, noting that newer devices have better thermal imaging capability and night vision technology. “Some of the newer UAS systems also include a built-in loudspeaker capable of making public announcements from the air.”
Local incidents Morris cited several cases where use of one of its UAS units provided quick response to another local police agency and aided in apprehending a felony assault suspect.
“Use of a thermal imaging UAS at night helped
make it safer for our officers to know what they were walking into,” Morris
said.
In another incident, he said CHPD officers were able to deploy a thermal imaging UAS during limited evening visibility to observe the rear of a residence where they could see a suspect armed with multiple weapons. The suspect moved to the front of the residence where he was later apprehended by officers.
“Another example where the CHPD’s use of a silent, thermal imaging UAS can prove invaluable is in its deployment over a commercial rooftop quicker than the fire department can put a ladder up,” said Morris. “It’s another way to apprehend rooftop burglary suspects and another important way to minimize risk to our officers.”
Privacy concerns Morris acknowledged concerns from the public about the ongoing use of drones and concerns over personal privacy, but said CHPD “didn’t encounter as many barriers as some departments have had in securing funding and deployment of its UAS program.”
“There is a great level of trust between the public and law enforcement here that’s been established,” he said, noting that the continued use of drone technology requires the maintenance of that trust.
During a presentation Morris gave to the City Council last month, Councilman Bret Daniels described the drone program as “the best thing for officer safety in a long time,” but also noted privacy concerns from the public.
“I think its important that our public trusts us in using these,” said Daniels, suggesting the police department hold a future presentation covering “how we protect people’s privacy in using the drones.”
Morris said there are situations where the use of drones would not be allowed without a warrant.
“The only time UAS technology would be utilized on private property is with probable cause in response to a felony crime, some type of exigency, or with a warrant,” Morris told The Sentinel in a followup email, citing an example of searching for an armed suspect or in helping locate a missing person.
“Since UAS technology is so new, we are using the case law that has existed for many years related to law enforcement airplanes and helicopters as a guide to ensure we are respecting the privacy rights of our community.”
Morris also said the department opted to go beyond federal requirements in requiring each drone operator to be individually licensed by the FAA and have their own pilot’s license, in addition to the department holding a Certificate of Authority from the FAA.
“This is more than what is required for a public safety organization to operate UAS technology, but we feel it is worth it to ensure the highest level of professionalism,” said Morris.
The lieutenant is hopeful that the drone program will continue to expand in Citrus Heights, as drone technology continues to aid officers.
“We know that a UAS will one day be used in a missing child case,” said Morris. “The quick use of a UAS will make a very real difference in our ability to conduct our search successfully.”
Want to share your thoughts on the police department’s new drone program? Submit a letter to the editor or opinion column for publication: Click here
File photo. Citrus Heights police display a ‘bait vehicle’ sign in an effort to reduce theft. // CH Sentinel
By Hazel Ford–
Police have a message for would-be thieves in Citrus Heights: if you steal something, it just might be a ‘bait’ item and you’ll end up in jail.
Thanks to the Citrus Heights Police Department’s “bait theft reduction program,” over 100 felony arrests have been made so far in 2017. Bait items include anything from cars, trailers, bikes, and construction equipment, which are equipped with GPS trackers or other technology that enable officers to nab the thieves.
Police said more than 70% of those arrested with bait this year had a prior felony on their record and nearly 4-out-of-every-5 suspects were either on probation, parole, or supervised release. More than three-quarters of the suspects had committed a prior theft-related crime and over 60% had a prior drug-related arrest.
In a recent news release about the program, police said officers are able to efficiently and effectively fight crime using a statistical, data-driven model to analyze which items are most frequently stolen in each area of the city. Police then transform commonly stolen items into “bait,” which are strategically placed throughout Citrus Heights.
Citrus Heights Police Lt. Dave Gutierrez told The Sentinel on Tuesday that the department’s bait program is a year-round effort that formally launched in the city last year. He said bait vehicles were also in use by the department prior to 2016, with high profile “bait” warning signs being a regular sight around the city for the past few years.
Answering a common question heard by residents about why the bait program is broadcast publicly where thieves can see it, Sgt. Chad Morris previously told The Sentinel that bait warning signs are primarily aimed at preventing theft in the first place.
“Inherently the sign boards don’t do any thing as far as [making arrests], but what they do is they act as a deterrent,” Morris said. “People see them; they may think twice about victimizing one of our citizens.”
The prevention aspect is also highlighted in several law enforcement and insurance company studies on auto theft. In 2014, the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia documented a 75 percent drop in vehicle thefts over a 10-year period in British Columbia, following the launch of a bait car program in 2003.
Lt. Gutierrez also cited the deterrent aspect of the program as a factor for why no bait arrests have been made in recent weeks, noting that if no one is stealing police bait, they likely aren’t stealing items from the community either. As of Dec. 7, he said no bait arrests had been made since Nov. 22nd.
“Our desire would be to deploy all kinds of bait items throughout the city and for no one to steal them,” the lieutenant said. “We want the criminal element to know we have the programs in place, so maybe they second guess themselves or think twice about stealing the item, fearing it’s a bait item.”
Citrus Heights police are expressing gratitude for the help of numerous community members they said aided officers in locating several women who fled an injury accident on foot near Sunrise Mall last week.
Sgt. Chad Morris said the incident occurred shortly after noon on Aug. 21, when a sedan crashed into another vehicle while allegedly driving recklessly and at a “high rate of speed.” Police said the collision caused a young girl to be sent to the hospital with lacerations on her face, while the three female occupants of the suspect vehicle fled the scene in different directions.
The sergeant said with the help of bystanders, two of the women were located inside the Macy’s store at Sunrise Mall, while a helicopter was called in to help search for the driver. Morris said the helicopter lost sight of the fleeing suspect after she ran into the Half Price Books store across from Macy’s, but “numerous citizens” aided police in pointing out the direction the suspect ran.
Police said the driver of the suspect vehicle, later identified as 25-year-old Alicia Anderson of Sacramento, was caught after she ran out of the bookstore’s emergency exit and down an embankment.
Anderson is currently being held without bail in the Sacramento County Main Jail and is charged with a felony hit-and-run and driving with a suspended license. Court records indicate she has pled “no contest” to several other charges in the past five years, including prostitution, felony drug charges, and possessing a firearm while a felon. One of the other women who fled was also arrested, while the third was released after cooperating with police.
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Morris said the suspect vehicle sustained moderate damage, while the other vehicle “appeared to be totaled.” The young girl who was injured was traveling with her parents when the collision occurred and required a few stitches, police said.
“Throughout the whole thing the citizens were great,” Sgt. Morris said, highlighting that some had rendered aid at the accident scene while others followed the fleeing suspects. “The whole way, citizens were pointing to direct, giving thumbs up… trying to be helpful, which was great.”
Not feeling he had adequately thanked citizens on scene after arresting the driver, Morris reiterated his appreciation for community members who assist police.
“I can’t say that enough. Some of the best info we have comes from the community,” the sergeant said. “We are very, very, very thankful.”
File photo. Citrus Heights police display a ‘bait vehicle’ sign in an effort to reduce theft. // CH Sentinel
On Monday, Citrus Heights police announced three recent arrests resulting from the department’s bait vehicle operations. High-visibility “bait vehicles in area” signs have been placed by police throughout the city for several years, alerting both residents and would-be thieves that the anti-theft program is in effect.
Sergeant Chad Morris, who was recently assigned to head up the bait program, said in recent months the department has “ramped things up” with the bait program, focusing on placing commonly stolen items within bait vehicles and strategically deploying them where crime trends are up in the city.
Morris held back on releasing specifics about the program, but said bait can be used to catch someone trying to steal an entire vehicle or a thief taking valuables from inside a car. He said bait elements can be added to “any item your imagination can dream up,” describing technology in use locally as being “very similar” to what is seen on TV shows featuring bait vehicles.
The bait program relies heavily on a crime analysis and mapping program called CATCH, which stands for Crime And Traffic in Citrus Heights. The mapping technology helps police visually identify “hot spots” and strategically target those areas with bait or other operations.
Morris said following one recent bait arrest, officers noticed “an uncanny” correlation with crime in a rather large area, which “dropped significantly.” He said crime rose again in the area when the individual was released from jail, and then dropped again when he was re-arrested on another charge.
Although unable to say with certainty that the sole individual was responsible for the area’s crimes, the sergeant said while an average citizen might work 8 or 10 hours a day to survive, a criminal who’s unemployed has to be “committing crimes all day long.” In light of that, Morris said “you can see pretty quickly how one person can do some serious, significant damage to your crime stats.”
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Answering a common question heard by residents about why the bait program is broadcast publicly where thieves can see it, Sgt. Morris said the signs are primarily aimed at preventing theft in the first place.
“Inherently the sign boards don’t do any thing as far as [making arrests], but what they do is they act as a deterrent,” Morris said. “People see them; they may think twice about victimizing one of our citizens.”
The prevention aspect is also highlighted in several law enforcement and insurance company studies on auto theft. In 2014, the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia documented a 75 percent drop in vehicle thefts over a 10-year period in British Columbia, following the launch of a bait car program in 2003.
Morris said the bait program in Citrus Heights is “still in its infancy,” but will continue to ramp up efforts and develop best practices. The department expects increased bait arrests in the coming months, as holiday shopping increases.
Updated Feb. 9, 4:26 p.m.–
Police are investigating the death of a woman who was found dead in a Citrus Heights apartment with a gunshot wound to her upper body early Monday morning, according to Sgt. Jason Baldwin with the Citrus Heights Police Department.
Baldwin said police responded to the Montage apartment complex on Fair Oaks Boulevard just after midnight Monday, where the woman, later identified as 46-year-old Heidi Evans, was found and pronounced dead at the scene.
Update: Although initially unable to determine whether the death was a suicide or homicide, “after conducting a thorough investigation,” police said in a news release Tuesday afternoon that detectives had determined Evans’ gunshot wound to have been “self-inflicted.”
In an unrelated death about 12 hours later, Baldwin said an 85-year-old woman committed suicide in front of a Walgreens store on Greenback Lane Monday afternoon, after officers found her with three “self-inflicted” gunshot wounds to her chest.
Baldwin said anyone experiencing great depression or suicidal thoughts can contact the Citrus Heights Police Department to be connected with a variety of resources. “We just like people to know that hope is not lost, and they can always reach out to us.”
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According to suicide prevention resources, warning indicators of suicide can include talking about feeling hopeless, having no reason to live, and other behavior or mood signs.
A local Suicide Prevention Hotline, operated by WellSpace Health, can be reached at (916) 368-3111. The group says its hotline is also available for those concerned about friends or loved ones who may be suicidal.
A portion of Auburn Boulevard was blocked off by Citrus Heights police Monday night, as officers investigated a vehicle versus pedestrian collision. //CHSentinel
Citrus Heights police said an elderly woman was hit by a car while trying to cross Auburn Boulevard near Antelope Road Monday night — with nearby church-goers saying she was leaving a memorial service when she was struck.
Police Sgt. Chad Morris said the collision occurred around 9 p.m. outside the Sierra Oaks apartment complex, at the corner of Sycamore Drive and Auburn Boulevard, where responding officers found the woman lying in the roadway with major injuries. Morris said the woman was “unconscious, but breathing,” and was transported to a hospital by medical personnel, where she is currently listed in “serious condition.”
By about 9:30 p.m. Monday, nearly a dozen officers were observed on scene, with “do not cross” tape surrounding a large area near Sycamore Drive, where a small amount of shattered glass, vehicle debris, and several pieces of clothing were seen lying in the roadway. Sgt. Morris said the vehicle involved sustained “fairly significant” front-end damage, although the car was still drive-able, and the driver was cooperative.
Morris said a preliminary investigation indicated that neither drugs, alcohol, nor speed were a factor in the collision, but he said the woman was crossing the street in an area where there was no crosswalk within several hundred feet. He said the northbound lanes of Auburn Boulevard would be closed for “several hours” Monday night, to allow for a comprehensive investigation of the scene.
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Several attendees of an evening memorial service at Bible Baptist Church on Auburn Boulevard said the woman who was hit had just left the service early, hoping to get home in time to see her grandchildren.
In September, another pedestrian was hit while crossing Auburn Boulevard several blocks away, and two others were killed on Auburn Boulevard earlier this year. Police previously reported a total of five people have been killed on Citrus Heights roadways this year — up from zero in 2014.
In a news release last week, Citrus Heights police said they are hopeful a recently awarded $236,000 traffic safety grant will help the Department curb a “particularly alarming” increase in pedestrian and bike-related fatalities on city streets.
Citrus Heights police traffic unit at a 2014 safety fair at the Citrus Town Center. File photo, CHSentinel
The Citrus Heights Police Department (CHPD) was presented with a “first place” award by the California Highway Patrol last week, being recognized for local efforts to reduce collisions and improve traffic safety in a statewide competition.
Competing in the 2014 California Law Enforcement Challenge, CHPD earned the top honor in the mid-sized municipal law enforcement agency category, which included agencies with 76 to 150 sworn officers. According to the CHP web site, Visalia Police Department placed second and South San Francisco Police Department placed third.
“The award signifies the hard work of the men and women of the Citrus Heights Police Department, who work tirelessly to improve traffic safety for their community,” police said Monday, in a news release authored by Det. Chad Morris.
The annual law enforcement challenge is a competition between similarly sized agencies for the best traffic safety programs in California, which focuses on efforts related to impaired driving, protecting vehicle occupants, speed awareness, and “traffic safety issues unique to the agency’s jurisdiction,” according to the CHP web site. The competition also assesses how agencies identified traffic problems through community input, crash analyses, speed and seat belt surveys, and what outcomes resulted from changes implemented.
Items on the competition’s application form also include a place for reporting statistics on prior year’s total collisions and fatalities within the agency’s jurisdiction. According to police, there were no pedestrian or vehicle-related fatalities in Citrus Heights during 2014, although there have been at least three pedestrian fatalities in 2015.
Citrus Heights police were also awarded for their utilization of technology to improve traffic safety in the 2014 competition. Previously, CHPD earned second place recognition in 2012.
