SFPD

Is Sioux Falls crime rate soaring?

l3wis February 16, 2015 10Comments

There are different factors of course to determine if the rates are worrisome. Before the last mayoral election, candidate Greg Jamison brought up the crime rate increases in his campaign;

In 2009, there were 212 violent crimes reported per 100,000 people in the Sioux Falls metro area, one of the lower rates nationwide. By 2013, the rate had risen to 292 violent crimes per 100,000 people, an increase of nearly 38% — the 10th largest increase among U.S. metro areas. City officials last year attributed part of this spike in crime to population growth. Yet, this does not fully explain the higher crime rate. Some crimes are also becoming more common than others. Methamphetamine-related crimes, for example, have risen dramatically in the area since 2009.

I have also been concerned that most of the violent crimes have been domestic related (the victims know their attackers) including several crimes against women. Of course, our Police chief blows off the rates like shooting at a ghost in Tuthill park;

Sioux Falls Police Chief Doug Barthel says the same things that help the city attract positive attention, and a growing population, also attract crime.

“Over that time period we’ve seen our city grow by almost 20,000 people. We just know there’s a certain number of people who are going to want to commit crimes,” Barthel said.

Maybe someone needs to explain percentages to Doug, he seems to be confused by them. Like I said above, the violent crime increase concerns me the most. And if you don’t think there hasn’t been an increase in crime, go down to the County Courthouse and ask the State’s Attorney and the County Commission about their dwindling budget due to the increase. You will see a whole other picture. But why should the SFPD care? There job is to shoot first ask questions later, cuff and stuff and let the county sort them out.

UPDATE on Tuthill Shooting at 10:30 AM

l3wis January 16, 2015 8Comments

I guess we ‘might’ finally be getting answers;

Sioux Falls Police Chief Doug Barthel will be at briefing this morning to talk about the Tuthill Park shooting on Jan. 1

I say it was the butler in the billards room with the candlestick.

SFPD identifies Tuthill shooting suspect

l3wis January 12, 2015 2Comments

If you see this man contact either the SFPD or Ripley’s Believe it or Not.

South DaCola News
By Samuel Coldsweat

While the city and Tuthill Park neighborhood has been on the edge since a SF police officer said a suspect attempted to shoot at him, they think they have the answer. While the suspect has not been apprehended, they do know who ‘IT’ is.

He has been identified as ‘Sasquatch Earle Furworthy’ or as his friend’s call him, ‘Harry Balls’ which translates into ‘Harris-lan testicle’ in Latin.

He was believed to be living in the wooded area on top of the park since October, and is a regular on the sledding hill.

“We have been suspicious that it has been him since regulars at the sledding park haven’t seen him since Christmas, and in the last siting, sledders said he was mumbling something about making smoothies and wielding a frozen banana.” Says Chief Darth Cowbell. “The tips have been reliable since it helped us rule out the tooth fairy and a unicorn.”

When Cowbell was asked if they have any ideas of his location, Cowbell responded, “We assume he HEADED FOR THE HILLS!”

If caught, we were wondering if any charges could be brought up against a Mr. Furworthy for wielding a banana at an officer.

Cowbell said he consulted state law and with the help of city attorney Danny Fiddle-Faddle, they found a loop hole in the city charter to bring him up on charges if captured. According to Canon 13-7445 of city charter it is;

‘Illegal to point fruit (frozen or thawed) at officers when they are questioning your eating habits.’

“I really have to hand it to Danny, he really pulled that one, from, well, the air.” says Cowbell “He’s pretty good at ‘slippery’ law (no pun intended).”

As for leads, they are working with authorities from Washington State (Earle’s home state) to see if they can track him down, but he has extended family that looks very much like him, and quite honestly, they ain’t talking.

“Finding a ‘grunting’ interpretor is difficult these days, and if you do, they usually ask for several hundred pounds of beef jerky in payment,” says Cowbell.

We asked if there has been anything similar happen in Sioux Falls in recent years.

“Actually yes. But it turned out to be nothing,” says Cowbell. “There was thought to be a siting of Lochness Monster at Covell Lake but it turned out to be just a giant turd from when we dumped sewage into the lake.”

THIS ARTICLE WAS SATIRE, BUT I WILL LET STU WHITNEY BE THE JUDGE.

Who is investigating the Tuthill shooting incident?

l3wis January 7, 2015 5Comments

What smoking gun?

So I was talking to a public official yesterday and he asked me an interesting question;

“Who is doing an independent review and investigation of the Tuthill shooting?”

I told him that it seems they are reviewing it themselves (SFPD). He pointed out to me that since the SFPD doesn’t have an internal affairs department that normally if they have an officer use their firearm in a related shooting incident, the Sheriff’s office or the state DCI investigates it.

Maybe they are, maybe they aren’t. Will we ever know what happened?