What’s Happening in Copper Canyon – February 2014
By Sue Tejml
Mayor of Copper Canyon
3rd Annual Mayors Crime Luncheon is a Huge Success – Again!
Sheriff Will Travis: Update on Narcotics in Denton County and North Texas
Chief Deputy Rex George: #1 Non-violent Crime in our area – Identity Theft.
Investigator Clayton Wood: Handler of Sheriff Office K-9 Unit dog “Rocky”
Traffick 911: The Tragedy of “Human Trafficking” of Adolescents in our Area
CoServ Charitable Foundation grants now total over $5 Million Dollars
Texas Police Chiefs Association Foundation & The Officer Survivor Fund
US Congressman Michael Burgess: Texas and National Issues - brief remarks
College Scholarship Applications available to graduating Town Seniors at Town Hall. Deadline for Submittal is Friday March 28th 3:00 p.m. at Town Hall. Scholarships announced Sunday afternoon May 4th at Appreciation Event at Mayor’s Home for Town Volunteers andHigh School Seniors.
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3rd Annual Denton County Mayors Crime Luncheon is a Huge Success – Again!
Copper Canyon again hosted – and CoServ graciously funded –the 3rd Annual Denton County Mayors Crime Luncheon. In attendance were 13 Mayors, 15 Police Chiefs,7 City Managers, our County Judge Mary Horn and County Commissioners Bobbie Mitchell and Andy Eads, Sheriff Will Travisand 9 Deputies (plus the K-9 Unit’s very popular drug alert dog “Rocky”), Legislator Myra Crownover, Denco 911 Executive Director Mark Payne and Board President Jack Miller, ESD#1 Board Officer Steve Harris, Traffick 911 (human trafficking) Executive Director Deena Graves, - and even our United States Congressman Michael Burgessasked to come and address the group.
This event highlights common crime issues in our area - on both the city and county level. Municipal Police Chiefs and the County’s Sheriff Office can share the latest information and coordinate efforts to address concerns. Our elected officials - Mayors and County Commissioners, Legislators and Congressional representatives - can network on solutions to current crime issues.The Agenda covered a broad area of subjects.
SheriffWill Travis:Update on Narcotics in Denton CountyNorth Texas
Chief Deputy Rex George: Identity Theft - #1 Non-violent crime in County
Dennis Engelke: CoServ Charitable Grants (Funding police radio upgrades)
Police Chief Gary Johnson (Roanoke): Texas Police Chiefs Association
Traffick 911 Executive Director Deena Graves: Human Trafficking-Especially of Adolescents in North Texas
US Congressman Michael Burgess: Texas and National Issues (brief remarks)
Sheriff Will Travis:Update on Narcotics in Denton County and North Texas. Sheriff Travis identified the abuse of narcotics in Denton County in his order of concern.
(1) “Prescription Drugs”: Oxycodone, Oxycotin, Xanax, and ADHD drugs (which are mainly legalized speed for individuals diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyper Disorder.)
(2)Methamphetamine: 95% is made in Mexico and 5% in the U.S.
(3)K-2: The latest “controlled substance” is called K-2 and is referred to as “Synthetic Marijuana”. It is made from a dried natural leaf from South America, which is shredded, chemicals are poured over the leaf, and then the mixture is smoked. (The leaf can be chamomile, strawberry, blueberry, etc.) The sheriff brought samples of the flat 3.5” x 4” plastic bags that are sold over the counter at “head shops” and contain about 3 grams of this latest popular narcotic K-2.
Oddly, K-2 was originally illegal for anyone of any age to produce, sell, purchase, and/or possess under Federal Law, but it was not illegal under Texas State law. This created an enforcement dilemma for our local Police Departments. Before the State law was passed on K-2, some individual towns passedmunicipal ordinances making it an offense for anyoneto have K-2. (Highland Village passed such an ordinance on veteran Police Chief Ed O’Bara’s recommendation.) State law has now caught up and K-2 is illegal for anyone to have. (Refer to Texas Health and Safety Code 481.1031, Penalty Group 2-A. Many thanks to Highland Village Asst. Chief Mark Stewart for the background information and reference to the exact state statutory reference.)
(4)Heroin: First responders are mainly seeing the black tar variety – and not brown powder like cocaine. The heroin is mixed with 80mg of Xanax to make a product called “monkey bars”; too frequently this results in an overdose that kills. If the Xanax is cut in half, the overdose may not result in death.
(5)Marijuana: Sheriff Travis recommends that this substance not be legalized for non-medical use.
(6)Gangs: Sheriff Travis said Denton County has an “equal opportunity” jail; every gang in Texas is represented in its 1400 inmates. And the County is about to add 340 more beds. White Supremacists gangs, such as the Aryan Brotherhood, operate within jails and correctional facilities. These gangs are heavily involved in drug distribution. However, Hispanic gangs such as the Mexican Mafia and Texas Syndicate “own the border” and the drug routes from Mexico and South America into the United States via Texas.
Chief Deputy Rex George outlined the status of the #1 non-violent crime in our area – Identity Theft. He also gave specifics on how to protect yourself from identity theft and how to respond if it happens to you.
Prevention:
(1)Use a credit card for non-cash purchases. Under Federal law your dollar amount liability is limited to $50 if your credit card is misused. This is not true if your debit card is misused.
(2)Download or check your credit card purchases on a regular basis (once or twice a week). Follow up on any unusual purchases. Identity thieves often make small charges at a gas station or convenience store to confirm that the card is still active. Do the same with your bank accounts.
(3)Shred any receipts or documents with your personal account information before you throw them away. Charge receipts, bank checks, doctors invoices, etc.
(4)Do not respond to online or phone solicitors. Do not give them your account number, birth date, social security number, or any passwords or pins. Do not open online solicitations, just delete. Hang up on telephone solicitations. If you respond, the solicitor will mark your email or telephone line as an “active” one for future hackers to pursue. Enroll in the federal and state “Do Not Call” lists – but be aware that many solicitors ignore these lists.
(5)Be very cautious with door-to-door solicitors – even if they have a permit displayed ostensibly from your local municipality. Call your City Hall and double check that the permit number and information displayed and the appearance of the person at your front door is identical with City records. For safety, do not admit the solicitor into your home.
(6)Check your credit report. There are three national credit reporting agencies: Equifax( Experian ( and TransUnion. You are entitled to a free credit report from each of the three once a year. ( Stagger your requests to one credit reporting agency every quarter. Every 4 months you can receive a newly updated credit report from one of the three agencies. (The reports are very similar, but have minor differences.) Look for new loans or credit cards opened that you did not initiate.
(7)Private Mailbox. If you suspect that your home or business mailbox is not secure, have all bills and official documents sent to a private mailbox. And take the time to hand deliver to a mailbox any of your outgoing mail containing personal identity or financial information. It is not unusual for hackers to take mail, especially from curbside unlocked mailboxes.
(8)Have income checks directly deposited to a bank account. This eliminates the chance that they will be stolen from your mailbox.
Containing Identity Theft:
(1)Immediately call all three credit bureaus and freeze your account.
(2)Immediately call Customer Service for each of your credit cards and alert them to the theft. You may have to have a new credit card issued under a new account number – and notify all businesses you have allowed to have automatic deductions on your old credit card of your new credit card information.
(3)Report the details of your Identity Theft to your local Police Department. Keep a copy of the criminal report for your records.
(4)Be prepared for a long, grueling year to reclaim your identity!
Sheriff Office K-9 Unit dog “Rocky”andhandler Investigator Clayton Wood
“Rocky” and his handler InvestigatorClayton Wood were a very popular attraction at the Crime Luncheon. “Rocky” is a brindle colored Dutch Shepherd. (The breed looks to an American like a GermanShepherd. German Shepherds are still the #1 breed used by K-9 units in the United States.) Dutch Shepherds are intense dogs with a need for serious mental stimulation and physical exercise. A simple daily walk on a leash is inadequate for their tremendous physical energy. Investigator Wood said “Rocky could easily run 5 miles a day – but I’m not sure I could!”
The Dutch Shepherd dogs were used by shepherds and farmers who needed a versatile dog, a jack-of-all-trades dog, with few demands and able to adapt to a harsh and meager existence. The breed has evolved from protecting herds of livestock roaming in an open pasture to being guard dogs on patrol protecting people. They can be very playful with their handler or their family members. But the Denton County Sheriff’s K-9 Unit Chevrolet Tahoe very clearly states on its sides “WARNING – STAY BACK” – because a Dutch Shepherd is also very protective and could interpret a stranger’s approach as a threat to its much loved handler.
Rocky was originally trained in The Netherlands to Dutch commands. (For example, the word “Suk” corresponds to the English word “Search”.) The length of training varies from dog to dog – 6 months to a year. But training is continuous throughout their active life. Prior to purchase by the Sheriff’s Office, Rocky was trained byU.S. K-9 Unlimited at aspecial facility in Louisiana. The majority of their dogs are male and not neutered. But both male and female dogs average 60 to 70 pounds in weight, with males usually a few inches taller in height than the females. (Rocky weighs 68 pounds.) U.S K-9 only selects imported dogs. Dogs that are trained to commands in a foreign language, not English or Spanish, make it very difficult for a non-authorized handler in our country to attempt to control them with word commands.
Rocky is 4 years old and should have a useful “professional” life of 10-14 years. The dog lives with his handler and works when Clayton works. His nose can identify the odor of marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy, heroin, and meth. The US Supreme Court has ruled that a K-9 Unit trained dog’s “positive alert” to a narcotic is the equivalent of “probable cause” for a legal search. Rocky is also cross-trained to protect his handler and to track a child or elderly person.Clayton said his job is “very rewarding! Rocky is like having a child companion with me all day.” He said “It is definitely an honor to be Rocky’s handler, and I’m proud to be a part of the Sheriff’s K-9 Unit.”
The attached photo of Clayton and Rocky says it all. The handler and dog develop a special lifetime bond based on affection, trust, and working as a team.
NOTE: Other Police Departments in our area with K-9 units are Carrollton, Denton, Lewisville, Oak Point and the University of North Texas.
Traffick 911: the Tragedy of “Human Trafficking” of Adolescents in our Area
Many thanks to Carrollton Police ChiefRex Redden for suggesting this issue. He introduced Deena Graves, Executive Director of Traffick 911, with offices in the DFW Metroplex in Addison and Fort Worth. Ms. Graves is available to speak at service and business organizations (i.e. Lions Club, Rotary, Chambers of Commerce, etc.), church groups, Parent Teacher Associations, school workshops for teachers and staff,CASA Advocate training, homeowners associations, city councils, and youth groups such as Student Council, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, 4H Clubs, school bands, sports teams (football, baseball, basketball, track, tennis, swimming and diving), etc. She also conducts half day and full day workshops for police departments, other First Responders, and hospitals and health clinics. (Call 817-575-9923 to schedule or .) NOTE: The photos of the physical abuse of children by their captors are disturbing and not suitable for young children.
Often the girls targeted (and boys) are only 10, 11, and 12 years old. Our Town Secretary Sheila Moralessuggested that parents of children this age be invited to an information workshop at a school or church. The parents could then choose the method of teaching their individual children how to stay away from possible sexual predators. Just being aware in advance of the seemingly innocent ways that predators and their accomplices lure unsuspecting children into their net, might save a few from a vicious life. The average life expectancy of a child victimized by sexual trafficking is only 7 years. If something seems wrong – Trust your instincts!
The International Association of Police Chiefs says “domestic minor sex-trafficking is happening to American youth at an alarming rate.” Traffick 911 was named as Organization of the Year by the Fort Worth Women’s Commission with commendations for the mayor, city council, and a state senator. Dallas Homeland Security Investigations recognized Traffick 911 as a Most-Valued Partner in this war to save our American children. ( .)
If you think Human Trafficking of Adolescents cannot happen in your neighborhood – think again. Open your eyes. What to look for:
Malnourishment
Lack of possessions
With an older, controlling person
Obvious distrust of law enforcement
(Toseek help incurs immediate physical abuse from the pimp or handler)
Scripted Answers/inconsistent stories
A lot of foot traffic in and out of a house or normal business store front
(Nail parlor, hair salon, dry cleaners, hobby shop, café, office, etc.)
Uses terms common to the sex industry
False or no identification
Branding, tattoos or carvings
Scars, bruises, burns, rope burns
For law enforcement officers, question:
Cramped living quarters, sparse rooms
Large amounts of cash or condoms
Calls for assaults, domestic situations, verbal disputes, or thefts
(The victim could be disciplined if a buyer or client had money taken.)
Observe if girls are being transported. Questionstrange behavior in vehicles.
For help: 817-575-9923, , rg
National Human Trafficking Hotline 1-888-373-7888
NOTE: Texas has 47,000 active missing children cases(National Center for Missing and Exploited Children). Many are being sold in online sex ads.
83% of missing children are recovered within 50 miles of their home.
CoServ Charitable Foundation grants now total over $5 Million Dollars
Dennis Engelke is the Executive Director of the CoServ Charitable Foundation, which was organized in 2004 and began Operation Roundup in November 2005. Customers’ monthly bills are “rounded up” to the next dollar. (Did you notice that your CoServ bill is always an even amount?) The pennies “rounded up” average about 50 cents a month or $6 per year per customer. (Customers can opt out at anytime.) Since 2005 the Foundation has awarded $5,333,154.61 in 566 grants awarded to 168 unduplicated organizations in 53 communities, mostly in CoServ’s service area. Exceptions were grants in disaster areas, such as to Granbury, Texas after the tornado damage there and to West, Texas after its disastrous explosion.
CoServ Charitable Foundation funded $860,000 in local grants in 2013 alone. The recipients are often First Responders, such as fire fighters and paramedics and law enforcement officers, who receive funding for additional equipment and/or training. CoServ Area Director Tracee Elrod brought grant applications for all the police chiefs and mayors attending the Crime Luncheon, in case they wanted to apply for funds for a special need. Upgrading radios for area police departments was specifically mentioned as a much needed possible project.
Of the $860,000 in grants in 2013, $784,000 came from Operation Roundup. However, CoServ employees personally contributed over $20,500 in 2013 through payroll deductions, donating jury duty checks, and some humorous special projects. For a $50 donation employees could have a “relaxed summer dress code.” Thisincluded wearing flip flops and tee shirts to work. However, the tee shirts did have to have only “office appropriate” graphics – such as being a fan of a special university or sports team. The Foundation was also given a large barbeque smoker. For a $25 donation employees could rent the smoker for family reunions, church events, and other special occasions. The remaining $55,500 was funded through a Foundation sponsored golf tournament and individual contributions.
Texas Police Chiefs Association Foundation & The Officer Survivor Fund