The Coeur d’Alene Police Department recently installed a new bike rack in Coeur d’Alene City Park near the department’s sub-station. The rack was created by students in the North Idaho College welding program on request by the police department and features large handcuffs and the NIC Cardinal mascot. Funding for the materials was provided by the Coeur d’Alene Rotary Club. Pictured, from left, are Coeur d’Alene Police Department Capt. Steve Childers, NIC Trustee and Coeur d’Alene Police Department Sgt. Christie Wood and NIC welding technology instructors Jeremy Dodge and Tim Straw. (NIC photo: Tom Greene)

Question: Can you think of any political group who might be offended by this new public art (a la Kootenai Constitution Party/Ganesha)?

The 25YO man who walked into a street pole after a confrontation with a Baja Bargarita bouncer wins the Drunk Behaving Baddest honors in the latest Downtown Coeur d'Alene Bar report (May 5-15). Seems bhe belligerent male finally left Baja Bargarita around 12:10 a.m. Friday, May 6, with both arms in the air, flipping off the bouncer. He was so intense on flying his two birds that he failed to watch where he was going and ran into a street pole. Also, he refused to provide indentification, to sit down, and to stop walking away when officers ordered him to do so. Ultimately, the drunk was arrested for obstructing and trespassing after grabbing an officer's arm. After swearing at officers and refusing to get into a patrol car, the drunk was tazed until he complied. You can read all about the incident and more in the latest Downtown Coeur d'Alene Bar Report here.

KXLY Web Producer Nicole Hensley (Blush Response) rode along with Coeur d'Alene Police last week. Nicole snapped the photo and provided the commentary below.

The first call of the power shift brought K46, Officer Nate Petersen, and I to just outside Les Schwab. Along with three other officers, they were called in to speak with a group of teens. When we arrived, the male teen was already in the back of the parole vehicle. He was a runaway with an arrest warrant. They found him down the street with a backpack of stolen medication. After cross-questioning the female teens at the scene, it was determined that they were traveling from location to location by bus to shoplift medication (cough medicine) for consumption/Nicole Hensley. More here.

Question: Did you ever shoplift something from a store, as a kid?

re: Liz Arakalian's Quotable Quote: ““The Coeur d'Alene Police Department just put up a fan page on Facebook. Would it be terrible to post some virtual doughnuts on it”

Christie Wood: Well … if you feel you must, please make some of them for me Maplebars. Those are my favorite. Facebook and twitter are very new to me — as of yesterday! I have never logged on before. But I do see an opportunity to get out critical information in a hurry to the public. DFO became an instant friend, and also re-tweeted the info on the rape suspect for us. I think it is going to be a good communication tool.
Chief Longo is from the same “vintage” as me and I doubt he has a personal facebook page, but he is always supportive of new ideas and means to communicate with the public. It is great to have leadership that keeps up with the times.

Question: Do you plan to follow the Coeur d'Alene Police Department on Twitter and/or Facebook?

Item: CdA police discuss stranger danger at town hall meeting/Jeff Humphrey, KXLY

More Info: Police say about half of the 18 child luring cases reported here in Kootenai County during the past year have turned out to be hoaxes, but they do feel someone is trying to snatch kids off the streets in Coeur d’Alene and outlying areas in the county. The most recent attempted luring incident happened March 20 not far from Tubbs Hill at the intersection of 12th and Young. A man driving a van stopped two girls on their bicycles and demanded they get in. Police say despite their age, the six and eight-year-olds knew what to do.

Question: Have you talked to your children re: the danger of talking to strangers?

Coeur d’Alene police are investigating a possible child enticement case after a 12-year-old girl said she was followed home from school on Tuesday by a man driving a van. The girl said she was walking east on Mullan Avenue from 15th Street when an eastbound van passed her slowly about 3:20 p.m. The van drove away but appeared again a short while later, when the driver pulled up next to her and motioned for her to get in, the girl told police. The man drove away when she refused but was soon parked on Mullan facing west as she approached 20th Street. The girl called her grandmother, who met her at 20th Street but didn’t see the van, police said today/Spokesman-Review. More here.

Saturday, Nov. 13,: 0234 hours (N 3rd St & E Coeur d’Alene Ave – Auto Burglary): “Officers responded to an auto burglary in progress call and upon arrival found three intoxicated males. Although the officer told one of the males to sit at the base of a concrete wall near the alley (not on top of the wall), the male stated he had “no problem with falling” and sat on the top of the wall. He fell (five feet), hit his head and was knocked unconscious. When the male regained consciousness, he came up swinging at the officer. Medical was called and he was transported to KMC to be evaluated.” (Complete Downtown Bar report for Nov. 11-14)

All 3 men shown on the right side of this photo provided by a surveillance camera shortly after assault took place against man of the ground, including the man sitting down, are suspects in a Sherman Avenue battery in front of the Pita Pit on Sunday, Aug. 22.

Coeur d’Alene Police detectives are investigating a battery that occurred at about 12:15 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 22. The battery took place at the outside seating area of Pita Pit, 320 Sherman.  Witnesses said Nicholas Casqueiro was seated at an outside table on the sidewalk when he was hit. The witness believed the altercation started when a female sitting at the table with Nicholas said something to the suspects as they were walking by. The witness said he saw an unknown male pick up a chair and hit Casqueiro in the face with it. The witness also said another male started kicking Casqueiro while he was on the ground. Casqueiro did not know the males that attacked him/Sgt. Christie Wood, Coeur d’Alene Police Department spokeswoman. More here.

Coeur d’Alene Police detectives are looking for Candice Marie Notarstefano, who was reported missing by her sister Saturday. She has not seen since the end of July. Candice was staying with her aunt in apartments on Ironwood Drive in Coeur d’Alene. Reportedly, Candice only lived there for three days towards the end of July. The missing woman told her sister she was going to camp for the rest of the summer as she didn’t have anywhere to live. Candice left her aunt’s apartment with her (Candice’s) boyfriend, Ian Larson. Larson has not been reported missing by his family but detectives do not know his whereabouts/Sgt. Christie Wood, Coeur d’Alene police spokeswoman. More here.

Winston Brooks used to patrol the courts of the WCC as a point guard with the Gonzaga Bulldogs. These days he’s wearing a different uniform, patrolling the streets of Coeur d’Alene as a police officer in a community that embraced him before he ever landed at Gonzaga. … Brooks spent two years as a point guard for the Gonzaga Bulldogs, playing on some of the most talented teams in school history. But before that he spent a year at Christianson Gym in Coeur d’Alene with the North Idaho College Cardinals/KXLY. More here.

Question: Do you have any family members working in law enforcement?

Coeur d’Alene High was shut down this morning after a custodian found the remnants of a crudely made explosive near the outdoor concession stand at the north entrance to the football field at 9:50. According to a Coeur d’Alene police press release, the custodian contacted School Resource Officer Steve Harris. Harris examined the device and called for back-up to help search for other possible explosives. Two more similar devices were located near the south entrance to the football field. Both had already been detonated/Sgt. Christie Wood, Coeur d’Alene Police Department press release. Full release here.

Coeur d’Alene Police and FBI agents are investigating the robbery of Wells Fargo Bank, Appleway & Government Way, that occurred at 6 o’clock today. Witnesses stated a male suspect entered the bank and threw cloth re-usable grocery bags at the tellers. The suspect demanded they hurry up and fill them. The male suspect waived around a large caliber handgun. He then left the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash. He was last seen riding a grey three speed bicycle, south on Government Way. His description is as follows: Male, late 20’s to early 30’s, wearing a black mask, a black bicycle helmet, jean shorts, a long sleeve button up shirt, white tennis shoes with red squiggly lines. His white grocery bag had an American flag design on it/Christie Wood, Coeur d’Alene police spokeswoman.

How drunk do you have to be to deny to police that you have a pitcher of beer while you’re still holding it. Here’s another of my favorites from the latest Downtown Coeur d’Alene Bar Report: “Officers cited a 34 year old male for open container after catching him walking down the street with a pitcher of beer in his hand. At first the suspect denied having the pitcher, and then would not say what bar the pitcher was from, but when the officer gave him the ticket he told the officer he was “not the person who walked out of the Torch with a pitcher.” Full report here (the 4 females who set fire to a napkin at the Torch is pretty good, too).

Question: What is the dumbest thing you’ve seen a drunk do?

Fish & Game officers are en route to 953 Rutledge/Potlatch Hill, where a home owner reports there’s a black bear on her porch. Officers have asked if it’s OK to use bean-bag guns and other scare devices to chase bear off. A Coeur d’Alene police officer is wary re: exciting the bear, despite the anxiety of the female yelling at him from the window. Officer says he’d rather have Fish & Game officers handle the problem, as they did at his house a few weeks ago. A second officer said that the bear appears to have been attracted to the home by the smell of barbecue and may now be wandering off on his own. (Update: A Berry Picker called Huckleberries to report that the bear in this instance is a young one who is seen regularly foraging for food before winter sets in. And it hasn’t been causing any problems.)

At 1:55 Saturday morning, Aug. 14: Officers responded to a fight call at the Icon involving three females fighting (pulling hair and punching) and approximately 50 people standing in front of the bar watching the fight. The fight had started earlier on the dance floor in the Icon when the suspect female hit another female in the face with a beer bottle. The suspect was asked by bouncers to leave. Later on, outside the bar, the suspect threw another bottle at the victim hitting her in the face, and the fight ensued. The suspect female (19 yrs) was arrested for battery.

• Full Downtown Coeur d’Alene Bar Report, Aug. 12-18, here

Question: Which incident is your favorite in the latest Downtown Coeur d’Alene Bar Report?

First, you need to know that 4YO Gunnar Moffett, of Coeur d’Alene, is already quite an outdoorsman. He snorkles. He shoots arrows with a bow. He rides a small dirt bike that his father bought him for a gift 6 months ago. Mebbe I should say he used to ride the 30-inch dirt bike. Today, Gunnar’s 4th birthday, some creep stole the dirt bike from his Uncle Travis Loper’s car while it was parked at Edgewood Circle, behind Borders. Now, Uncle Travis is kicking himself for not locking the car doors and mustering the courage to tell his nephew about the missing bike. Travis has filed a police report. This morning, Travis visited Hucks HQ to ask for help in finding the $1500 dirt bike. He described it as a red-and-white, Honda CRF 50. Travis is asking that Hucks Online readers contact the police if you see someone riding or trying to sell a small dirt bike matching the description above.

• 3:01 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 5 (407 Sherman): Officers responded to a Suspicious Person call regarding a group of males sitting in a vehicle in the Iron Horse parking lot that had dumped garbage out of vehicle, took off, later returned and one of the occupants had urinated on a catering van in the back lot.
• 1 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 7 (200 block of Coeur d’Alene): Officers cited a 24 year old male for open container after noticing him standing in the parking lot of the Torch with a bottle of brandy in his hand. The suspect advised it was his bottle of brandy and he was just trying to save some money.
• 2 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 7 (300 block of Sherman): Officers responded to a Disorderly call reference an extremely intoxicated male in front of the Icon who was slapping girl’s buttocks as they walked by him.
• 2:26 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 8 (100 block of Sherman): Officers responded to a very intoxicated female who was found crying in the parking lot of the Bonsai Bistro. She told the officers she had been drinking at the Icon that night and her friends had left her there.
• Much more here
  

A Coeur d’Alene man wanted since January on an assault charge is being targeted by Crime Stoppers after eluding police at least twice recently. Adam Sabastian HIll, 38, “jackrabbits from us every time we get near him,” said Sgt. Christie Wood, spokeswoman for the Coeur d’Alene Police Department. Hill missed a hearing for an assault charge in January, according to court records. Police recently chased him around the Fruitland Lane area, then tried catching him near Appleway Avenue a couple weeks ago, Wood said. Hill got away each time/Meghann M. Cuniff, Sirens & Gavels. More here

Question: Do you think Police Chief Wayne Longo can run this guy down?

Coeur d’Alene police caught a lot of public urinators in downtown Coeur d’Alene b/n July 22-28, including two guys hanging out near the Torch Lounge on Lakeside who couldn’t hold their water. In the latest Downtown Bar Report (for which a Berry Picker risked life & limb to ferry to this blog), you can follow the police battle against outdoor urination and bar fights, including the one mentioned above that happened @ 11:59 p.m. Thursday, July 22 @ 216 E Coeur d’Alene Ave: “Two males (28 & 30 years of age) were cited for Urinating in Public after officers noticed a group of 4 -5 persons in the Torch parking lot looking toward the alley. Upon approaching the alley, the officers contacted a male who was intoxicated and showed officers where he had urinated in the alley. Officers had observed a second male in the act and he was cited as well.” Complete Downtown Bar Report (July 22-28) here.

Question: Are you satisfied that Coeur d’Alene police are keeping a tight rein on public urinators, barroom fights, & worse at downtown bars this summer?

Item: Big brother may be watching: Cd’A police consider camera for Independence Point surveillance/David Cole, Coeur d’Alene Press

More Info: Coeur d’Alene police are looking at placing a surveillance camera at Independence Point, enabling officers to view a live video stream of the popular spot. The camera, if placed, would be accessible to police officers through their patrol cars using mobile data terminals, or through a stand-alone computer at the police station, said Coeur d’Alene police spokeswoman Sgt. Christie Wood.

• Hux Poll: 60 of 83 respondents (72.3%) to a secondary poll Friday said they were comfortable w/having surveillance cameras at Independence Point. Full results here.
  

Question: Have the Coeur d’Alene police done a good job this summer keeping a lid on crime and hooliganism in downtown Coeur d’Alene and along the waterfront this summer?

It is a busy time at Independence Point as people hit the beach to play in the water and soak up the sun.  Keeping the area safe is also an issue.  Police are exploring the idea of putting up surveillance cameras for extra security.  Not everyone is happy with the idea. KREM 2’s North Idaho reporter Dawn Crawley explains why here.

More from CPD Blue’s Downtown Bar Reporter: An extremely intoxicated 52 year old woman was taken into protective custody after making statements she wanted to kill herself. Apparently she had been drinking at the Beacon and was upset because her date left her for a younger female.

Question: Does the Downtown Bar scene seem lovely to you?

From CPD Blue Downtown Bar Report, July 7-13 (see complete report here): Officers responded to the 500 block of Sherman regarding a physical domestic dispute between a 46 year old male and 38 year old female. The female was locked in the vehicle and the male was pounding on the vehicle. Apparently they had been drinking at the Iron Horse and the male wanted to return home (Budget Saver Motel); however, his wife wasn’t ready to go, so he grabbed and drug her to the car. The suspect’s story was different maintaining he didn’t want her to drive drunk so he tried to get her keys, but she locked herself into the car and when he jumped over the hood to get in the passenger side, she accidently slammed his hand in the door (didn’t need medical but that’s when his wedding ring broke). The victim’s story was she didn’t want to leave the bar. She told the officer it had been a good day—they had married earlier that day and spent the day at the beach. The suspect was arrested for domestic battery.

• DFO: Be sure to check out the Downtown Bar Report link. Funny, but tragic stuff in there.
  

Question: Ah, do you hold out much hope for this marriage?

• Update (via KHQrightnow Twitter): KHQ has learned that a man has been arrested in the Coeur d’Alene endangered runaways case. KHQ Reporter Mike Perry is in Coeur d’Alene gathering more information on the suspect.

The two female runaways have been located in an apartment at 3825 N. Ramsey Road. Charity Jordan and Tina Jewell are fine, and currently being detained by police until they are released to their parents. The Police Department was notified of their whereabouts by a citizen. Officers are still on scene, and determining if an adult is responsible for harboring them. I have no further information if that occurred at this time.

Question: Do you think police officers get frustrated when they’re looking for runaways? After all, it seems that the runaways don’t want to be at home. And will take off again. It almost seems like a catch-and-release situation.

A Coeur d’ Alene police officer seriously injured in the line of duty six years ago gets a brand new bike to help with his rehabilitation. 40-year old Mike Kralicek was shot in the head while responding to a call for back up in 2004. At first doctors believed Kralicek would be in a vegetative state for the rest of his life. However over the years Kralicek has proved doctors wrong going from a quadriplegic to walking. On Wednesday Kralicek received a brand new Recumbent Trike. The trike will give Kralicek the freedom to bike and strengthen his legs. … “Still striving for more independence, trying to show other people that there’s a hope there’s still a way,” Kralicek said/Annie Bishop, KXLY. More here.

Question: Are you inspired by Mike Kralicek will to regain his freedom?

Coeur d’Alene Police officers have responded to the 600 block of West Davidson for the report of found explosives in a residence. The streets are blocked off in the 700 block of Davidson and Nora St. Please alert drivers to avoid the area. Sgt. Christie Wood reports: “We are in process of communicating with the Spokane Bomb squad. These explosive devices appear to be very old, and were possibly found by the owners of the property while they were cleaning out the house after a long term renter moved.” More information will be provided as it becomes available.

Police believe the people suspected of hanging Aryan posters (on Highway 95 between Neider & Bosanko), in Coeur d’Alene recently are transients. Because they are, the department is having a difficult time locating them, said Mario Rios, Coeur d’Alene police detective. But officers don’t believe the suspects are affiliated with the church of Jesus Christ of Aryan Nations, either/Coeur d’Alene Press. More here.

A 53YO man was robbed at 4:38 this morning as he was walking by three men in a vehicle who passed him and stopped at the intersection of Fourth & Garden. Two of the men approached the pedestrian. One said: ”Sorry I have to mess with you” and pushed the victim backward. Then, the robber told the victim, “I want your stuff,” according to police reports. The victim was scared he was going to be beat up and handed over an undisclosed amount of money, and some personnel items. At that point, the robber’s companion told the victim to “run away” or he would be shot. Suspect #3 was the driver of the vehicle, but never came over to the victim/Coeur d’Alene Today. More here.

Question: Are you afraid to walk at night in Coeur d’Alene?

The serviceman showed up around 11 a.m. at The Roosevelt Inn Bed & Breakfast, said Coeur d’Alene Police Sgt. Christie Wood. John and Tina Hough have owned the business for about 11 years, Tina Hough said. The power shut-off notice listed unpaid bills totaling $3,132.14. John Hough was alone in the B&B when the serviceman showed up, his wife said. Receiving the notice “just set him off” she said, because the couple has been behind on bills and was pinning hopes on the lucrative summer tourism season. All other creditors have been patient with them as they worked to catch up, she said. “We’ve been struggling to get through here,” Tina Hough said. John Hough called Avista’s customer-service center and police said he made threatening statements that included reference to a gun/Alison Boggs, SR. More here.

• Alison Boggs’ is working on a story re: this incident involving Roosevelt Inn owner John Hough. She has talked to Hough’s. Stay tuned.

HucksOnline has learned the following from spokeswoman Christie Wood re: the man taken into custody over the utility dispute: “The male was never on the roof. This started as the male having a dispute with Avista over his bill. The Avista employee went to the address to shut off the power. The male called the Avista office in front of the employee and had a heated conversation with them. I cannot release the details of his statements except to acknowledge he was threatening and mentioned a weapon. Much more below.