Grand Junction Police Department

Annual Report

2017

City of Grand Junction

Michael Nordine

Interim Chief of Police

Deputy Chief John Zen

Services Division

Acting Deputy Chief Gary Marak

Operations Division

Commander Andy Martinez

Patrol Division

Commander Timothy Grimsby

Patrol Division

Commander Robert Russell

Patrol Division

Commander Matt Smith

Patrol Division

Commander Paul Quimby

Professional Standards Unit

Acting Commander Bill Baker

Investigations Division

Greg Caton

City Manager

Grand Junction Police Department

Administration

Message From the Chief

Each spring, we release our annual report, providing a wrap up of the previous year.

This report provides an opportunity to share the accomplishments of our staff, high-

light special events we enjoyed throughout the year, and can also serve as a resource

for others who want to learn more about our great city. What most people are inter-

ested in, understandably, are our crime statistics. These numbers are one tool we

can use to assess the direction of our department and plan for the future. Crime

statistics, however, are more than just numbers; they require analysis and break-

down to get to the root explanation of any significant changes; if, that is, explanation

is possible. Sometimes, we simply don’t know.

Typically, we identify specific crime types to mine into and provide context for our

community. This year, however, we want to take the opportunity to do something

different and talk about a shift in our overall policing strategy. It’s no secret to any-

one that our resources are stretched thin. Officers are running from call to call. Calls

for service have increased by 25% over five years ago, while staffing has increased by

less than 4% in that same time period. This leaves little time for proactive police

work. So, utilizing what we have, how do we impact crime in our community, rather than just reacting to it?

Starting in 2016, we began focusing on targeted crime areas and projects. The staffing of a full time crime analyst made this strate-

gy much more effective. She has been able to identify crime trends as they unfold, allowing us to put resources towards them in a

more timely manner. An example of this strategy in action occurred at the start of the school year in 2017. An analysis of crime

trends in the past five years revealed a clear spike in the area of our local university at the start of the school year. Based on that

data, the area of North Avenue to Walnut Avenue, and N. 7th Street to N. 15th Street was designated as a project area for five

weeks in August and September. Through proactive policing, officer initiated contacts, increased foot patrol and visible presence,

we saw a 42.6% reduction in weekly reported crime in the area compared to the five year average. Disorderly conduct reports

were reduced by 69%. In August, foot patrol in the area increased by an astounding 232% over the previous year. That’s just one

example of the early success we’re seeing as a result of a thorough evaluation of our policing strategy.

We are certainly not alone in these efforts. We enjoy a good relationship with other law enforcement agencies in Mesa County,

and working with those partners in a collaborative way has allowed us to address crime on a more macro level. Working together

across jurisdictional boundaries has resulted in more efficient identification of organized criminal enterprises, which means law

enforcement can intervene earlier and more effectively, solving crime as a community, rather than as individual agencies. After all,

crime prevention is best achieved when everyone is invested and working together.

It’s an exciting time to work for the Grand Junction Police Department. We enjoy an incredible amount of support from our City

Management and City Council. City Council recently approved two new School Resource Officer positions, and our City leaders

have firmly backed our commitment to reinstating our dedicated Traffic team in 2018. We’re actively recruiting exceptional candi-

dates to serve this community and to grow alongside us as we continue to strive for new and innovative ways to make Grand Junc-

tion the safe, thriving community our residents deserve. We’re grateful for the support and encouragement we receive from our

community and are looking forward to a bright future.

With gratitude,

Mike Nordine

Vision

Excellence in Policing

Mission

To enforce the law, safeguard our

community, and enhance its quality of life

through the prevention, investigation, and

reduction of crime.

Values

Integrity

Teamwork

Respect

Officer Matt Parks shows off the SWAT Bearcat to kids and families at the

2017 Police Week Touch a Truck event at Long Family Memorial Park in May.

Our Community Grand Junction, Colorado, is the gateway to the mountains and canyonlands of western Colorado and eastern Utah.

Centrally located between Denver (250 miles east) and Salt Lake City (270 miles west), Grand Junction is home to more

than 60,000 residents, a number that swells to over 100,000 during the work week. Grand Junction hosts several com-

munity and cultural events throughout the year, including baseball games at the Junior College World Series and nu-

merous downtown events and festivals.

The mission of the City of Grand Junction is to be most livable community west of the Rockies by 2025. Grand Junction

is a multi-faceted community, committed to continued improvement while maintaining the high quality of life its resi-

dents have come to enjoy and expect. The area’s scenic views, good climate, and small town feel make Grand Junction

a wonderful place to live and work. The City of Grand Junction woks hard to provide outstanding business opportuni-

ties, superior public services, and a safe, friendly community.

In an effort to provide the highest quality of services to our community, the Police Department facilitates numerous

community based programs, which include:

Citizens Public Safety Academy—This 15 week course presents aspects of police, fire, EMS (Emergency Medical

Services) and 911 Communications not generally known to the public. It also provides insight on how public safety

employees make decisions, perform their duties and serve our community. In 2017, we also started a Latino Citi-

zens Police Academy for our Spanish speaking residents.

Community Resource Unit—This team of officers offer a variety of services designed for both private citizens and

local businesses, including Neighborhood Watch, Safe Community programs, CPTED (Crime Prevention Through

Environmental Design) Security surveys, Active Threat presentations, and Anti-Robbery training. The unit builds

relationships with local businesses, service providers, and citizens to share crime prevention information and pro-

mote safety.

National Night Out—This annual event helps fight crime in our neighborhoods by building camaraderie and famili-

arity between neighbors, while also sending a message to criminals that their neighborhoods are willing to fight

back against crime. Grand Junction police officers visit each registered neighborhood to provide safety information

and answer questions.

Coffee with a Cop—The program is intended to provide a way to interact with our community members and to

build trust with the citizens we serve. We can’t wait for a crisis to introduce ourselves.

Department Overview

Officer Chris Wilson, Detective Colter Church, Corporal Jeff Davis, Officer Kevin

Bavor, Officer Tom Wihera, and Officer Jake Edmiston, preparing for an active

shooter exercise in August.

The Grand Junction Police Department employs 113 sworn officers who serve our community, spanning an

area of 38.6 square miles. In addition, the Department staffs 47 civilian employees who provide essential ser-

vices such as Finance, Executive Support, Records, Property and Evidence, Crime Analysis, and Parks Patrol.

The Grand Junction Regional Communication Center is authorized for a staff of 46 employees who provide a

hub for 23 public safety agencies in Mesa County.

The Police Department is organized into two divisions; Operations, consisting of the Patrol Division and our

Police Service Technicians, and Services, comprised of Investigations, Professional Standards, Records, Lab

and Property, and the GJRCC. The function of each division is an important component in assuring the Grand

Junction Police Department maintains the professional operations expected by the community we serve.

Our department values independent decision making and problem solving strategies. Using a community-

oriented policing philosophy, our department has fostered strong partnerships between our schools, faith

based community, civic organizations and citizens. We strongly believe that preventing crime is a community

effort and it is our role, as the Police Department, to provide the training and information necessary to help

our citizens take an active part in crime fighting efforts.

Every member of the Grand Junction Police Department is committed to our Mission and Vision, which are

summed up by our values: Integrity, Teamwork, Respect.

Investigations The Grand Junction Police Department Investigations Bureau is comprised of two primary divisions; Crimes

Against Persons and Crimes Against Property. When a call for service is generated through dispatch, a patrol

officer is typically the first point of contact. Once an initial report is generated, all cases involving potential

felony charges are reviewed by the Investigations sergeants and then assigned to a detective for follow-up, if

appropriate; in 2017, 828 cases were assigned to investigators. There are currently 10 detectives assigned to

Investigations, and the department is supervised by one Commander and two Sergeants. We also have four

detectives assigned to the Western Colorado Drug Task Force, a joint collaboration of the Grand Junction Po-

lice Department, the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Additionally,

there are five civilian employees assigned to Investigations who perform a variety of priority tasks, such as

follow up on missing persons and runaways, registered sex offender management, and crime analysis.

In 2017, our Investigations division worked a number of high profile cases, such as:

The investigation of a local chapter of a gang called Satan’s Disciples, who were linked to numerous

crimes, including a homicide, burglaries, robberies, and arson. The months long investigation lead to the

identification and arrest of numerous suspects, as well as a grand jury indictment for racketeering.

A gang related homicide in March, involving the Sin City Desciples motorcycle club, resulting in three ar-

rests.

A lengthy investigation, involving drug distribution and money laundering, conducted by the Western

Colorado Drug Task Force, culminating in the arrest of four suspects, as well as the seizure of 25 pounds

of methamphetamine and several stolen firearms.

The homicide of a 17 year old female in July.

A spree of commercial burglaries, resulting in the arrest of a male suspect out of Utah.

Participation in the FBI Operation Cross Country, targeting criminals responsible for the sex trafficking

and exploitation of children, resulting in the arrest of three suspects from western Colorado.

A string of credit card skimmers on gas pumps at numerous locations around the city.

A domestic violence related homicide and arrest in November.

CRU and SRO officers participating in the Parade of

Lights in December.

Community Resources Our Community Resource Unit increases engagement and crime

prevention awareness for residents and business owners in our

community. Through numerous outreach programs, such as

Neighborhood Watch, National Night Out, and Safe Community

initiatives, we strive to provide the best and most comprehen-

sive police services. This five person unit provides safety

presentations to local businesses, as well as consulting with

property owners to assess environmental factors that may cre-

ate increased risk of criminal activity. This unit is also active in

the homeless community, balancing resources with enforce-

ment. In 2017, the CRU handled the clean up of 12 illegal

campsites, at a total cost of $26,000, resulting in the removal of

more than 16 tons of refuse.

Our Colorado Mesa University substation is homebase for four offic-

ers and one sergeant who, along with the Campus Safety Officers

employed by the University, police what essentially amounts to a city

within our City, with a daily population of roughly 10,000, including

students and faculty. The CMU team also handles calls for service in

the area of the University, from N. 7th Street to N. 15th Street, North

Avenue to Walnut Avenue. In 2017, the CMU team almost doubled

the amount of time spent on proactive policing at the college, with

over 700 hours spent on foot and bicycle patrol on and around cam-

pus.

Our three School Resource Officers are responsible for 29

schools in the city limits of Grand Junction, including ele-

mentary, middle, and high schools, public, private, and char-

ter. Our SROs take an interactive approach with students

and staff, not only investigating crime on campus, but also

performing classroom presentations, coordinating with

school security staff for safety drills, providing security at

school events, and acting as a liaison between school ad-

ministration and the Police Department. Our SROs promote

a positive image of law enforcement to youth in our com-

munity, working closely with students and often families to

keep children safe and encourage positive choices.

Our CMU officers posing with Rowdy, the CMU

mascot, during Homecoming Week.

Two of our SROs enjoying breakfast with local 5th graders at

our annual Shop with a Cop event in December.

Collateral Assignments One of the most visible units at the Grand Junction Police Department is the

beloved K9 Unit. We currently have two K9 officer positions at the GJPD, alt-

hough our most tenured K9 Officer, Geraldine Earthman, and her K9 partner,

Joker (the sixth dog in her career!) retired in 2017, leaving one position va-

cant for a number of months. Officer Trevor Hawkins and his K9, Nero, have

been serving as a team since 2015. In 2017, these two teams logged a com-

bined total of over 280 training hours and were deployed approximately 300

times, to include narcotics sniffs, tracks, searches, and demonstrations for

special events.

Our Special Weapons and Tactics team (commonly referred to as

SWAT) consists of 16 highly trained patrol officers who serve on the

SWAT team in addition to their regular duties. The have bi-weekly

training to prepare them for critical incident response. In 2017, our

SWAT team, who works closely with their counterparts at the Mesa

County Sheriff’s Office, was deployed on 20 operations throughout the

year. However, they don’t just respond to critical incidents. Members

of the SWAT team also participate in numerous community events,

such as Toys for Tots and Special Olympics games.

Honor Guard, at a memorial service for Deputy Derek Geer, an

MCSO deputy who was killed in the line of duty in 2016.

K9 Officer Hawkins and his partner, Nero, during a training

exercise.

SWAT applicants complete a rigorous physical obstacle course as part

of the testing process.

A bomb squad member suiting up to inspect a suspicious item

found near the Mesa County Criminal Justice Building in 2016.

The Grand Junction Bomb Squad is comprised of employees with the

Grand Junction Police and Fire Departments. Bomb squad members

must attend and successfully complete the FBI Hazardous Device

School and recertify every three years to maintain their advanced skill

level and knowledge. Our bomb squad provides service to 14 coun-

ties in Colorado and Utah, and handles numerous special events, such

as the ESPN X Games in Aspen. In 2017, the bomb squad was activat-

ed approximately 30 times to inspect and render safe suspected ex-

plosives. They also provide training and demonstrations for classes at

Colorado Mesa University, our Citizens Public Safety Academy, and

other agencies throughout the state.

The primary mission of a law enforcement Honor Guard is to honor

those law enforcement officers that have made the ultimate sacrifice

while serving their communities. The Honor Guard of the Grand Junc-

tion Police Department is no exception to that mission, representing

our department at law enforcement memorials throughout the coun-

try. Additionally, these seven highly trained officers attend many

events throughout the year, such as JUCO Championship games, Police

Week events, 9/11 memorials, and promotional ceremonies, just to

name a few. Officers in the GJPD Honor Guard dedicate numerous

hours to practice in order to post our State and National colors in the

most respectful and professional manner possible.

Support Services

Our Records Division in the Halloween spirit!

Our Parks Patrol at a NNO event in August.

A few of our volunteers who participated in an active

shooter drill in August.

Our Records division is staffed by eight full time employees who are the keepers of

all criminal justice records maintained by our agency. Each employee is master cer-

tified by the Colorado Certified Records Network, and also attends 12 hours of train-

ing on Colorado Open Records law each year. In 2017, our Records staff prepared

4,258 open records requests, and processed over 45,000 records in our Records

management system.

Police Service Technicians, or PSTs, are civilian staff who play a vital role in the

police department, handling a large volume of calls for service and freeing up patrol

officers to handle in progress and high priority calls. PSTs handle counter reports, as

well as online reports, such as cold thefts, traffic accidents, VIN inspections, and oth-

er non-emergency calls. PSTs also handle abandoned vehicles; in 2017, PSTs were

responsible for handling 201 abandoned vehicle reports, more than double the

number from five years ago.

Our Parks Patrol Unit, easily identified by their bright yellow shirts, provides a

visible presence in our parks, recreational trails, and downtown area, often on

two wheels. Parks Patrol officers play a vital role in deterring crimes and ensur-

ing compliance by interacting with the community and addressing concerns.

New in 2017, two year-round positions were added to accommodate parking

enforcement throughout the year.

Our Property and Evidence division receives, catalogs, safely stores and main-

tains the integrity of evidence, found items and property for safekeeping.

These employees are also trained Forensic Investigators, and are frequently

dispatched to crime scenes to assist with scene processing. In 2017, our Prop-

erty Division cataloged almost 20,000 items of property and evidence, and han-

dled 2,754 lab requests. We have a vibrant and active volunteer force with the Grand

Junction Police Department, allowing our department to provide

a higher level of service to our citizens. In total, we benefit from

the assistance of 65 volunteers and victim advocates who han-

dle a wide range of responsibilities, including customer service,

speed enforcement, data entry, special events and crisis inter-

vention for victims of crime and tragedy. Our volunteers provid-

ed a staggering 21,904 hours of service in 2017.

Our code enforcement officer is responsible for the enforce-

ment of zoning, development, and municipal codes within the

city limits of Grand Junction, including education regarding

compliance with these codes and resolution of violations, rang-

ing from animal complaints to parking issues to weed ordinanc-

es. In 2017, our Code Enforcement officer opened 758 code

violation cases, with the vast majority of issues cleared by the

voluntary compliance of the property owner.

Grand Junction Regional Communication Center

The Grand Junction Regional Communication Center handles all incoming emergency and non-emergency

calls for service and dispatches for 23 public safety agencies in Mesa County, including law enforcement,

fire, and EMS. The Communication Center is equipped with the latest advances in emergency telecommuni-

cation technology, including extensive mapping systems, text-to-911 capabilities, and emergency medical

dispatch protocols. The GJRCC also staffs an Incident Dispatch Team, available for mobile response to major

incidents and/or special events in Mesa County.

The GJRCC is staffed 24 hours per day, 365 days per year, with authorized staffing of 46 employees, a num-

ber that includes seven supervisors, and a Communication Center manager. All dispatchers have extensive

training, including emergency medical dispatching where life saving pre-arrival instructions are immediately

provided to callers with a medical crisis. The GJRCC also maintains an emergency alert system, which can

provide critical public safety messaging to the community.

In 2017, the GJRCC handled over 330,000 phone calls and dispatched more than 155,000 incidents to public

safety agencies in Mesa County. Additionally, dispatchers managed 3,496,511 radio transmissions with first

responders in the field; that’s an average of 400 radio transmissions per hour!

Internal Affairs

In 2017:

25 complaints were investigated.

164 commendations for our employees

were received.

Response to Resistance

2016 2017

Taser 5 7

K9 Bite 0 0

Firearm 3 0

OC 0 0

LVNR 2 0

Hands On 23 23

Bean Bag 0 0

Baton 0 1

TOTAL 33 31

Officers used response to resistance techniques in less than 1% of

incidents they responded to in 2017.

The Grand Junction Police Department takes all complaints seriously, regardless of the form or fashion in

which we receive them. All complaints received via email or social media are forwarded to our Internal

Affairs sergeant, and an investigation is initiated. We also have a public citizen comment line, which we

post on our website, for community members to provide feedback regarding any interaction they have

with a member of our staff. We receive not only complaints at this number, but also compliments and

commendations, as well. If you would like to provide constructive criticism or kudos regarding an experi-

ence or contact you’ve had with any employee of our agency, we’d welcome you to contact us. You can

reach our citizen comment line at (970)549-5149. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter, or you

can email us at gjpd@gjcity.org. You are also welcome to stop by the Police Department at 555 Ute Ave-

nue to speak to someone in person.

Data reported is INCIDENT BASED, not summary (hierarchy) and should not be compared to data reported for the GJPD by the CBI or FBI.

Employee of the Year

Officer Rocky Baldozier, pictured here with Interim Police Chief

Mike Nordine, receiving his Employee of the Year award.

Every year, each department within the City of Grand Junction selects an Employee of the Year to be recog-nized for outstanding service to the organization. In 2017, the Grand Junction Police Department was proud to honor the contribution of Officer Rocky Baldozier.

Rocky began his law enforcement career with our agency in 2007. Since then, Rocky has received numer-ous commendations, from fellow employees and grateful citizens alike. One of Rocky’s supervisors shared that Rocky’s “work ethic and sense of humanity is second to none.”

A prime example of Rocky’s character and integrity was highlighted in our local newspaper. The article told the story of a call Rocky responded to, regarding an older gentleman who had escaped from a nursing home. Rocky was familiar with the man, named Fred, and was informed by staff that he had not been tak-ing his medication and was generally difficult to deal with. Rocky spent some time with Fred, and learned that he had no family, was estranged from his only son and refused treatment for a terminal disease. Rocky persuaded Fred to take his medication and then made him a promise that he would visit him once a week if he would continue to take his medication.

Rocky kept that promise, often taking Fred for walks outside, or bringing him special treats to enjoy. During one of his weekly visits with Fred, Rocky learned that he wanted to reunite with his son before he died. Rocky was able to locate and contact Fred’s son, and arrange for a visit. After the visit, Fred’s son said that he was surprised at Rocky’s patience and how he cared for a stranger, when he could have just written Fred off months ago.

Fred refused to tell anyone what arrangements he wanted after his death. Rocky had a difficult and person-al conversation with him and eventually was able to help Fred with those arrangements. Rocky also volun-teered to spread Fred’s ashes at one of his favorite fishing places.

This is just one example of so many instances where Rocky has gone above and beyond the call of duty to display compassion and genuine caring on behalf of the Grand Junction Police Department, and law en-forcement everywhere.

2017 Retirees *with 20+ Years of Service

Kim Turner

Investigations

22 Years

Officer Geraldine Earthman

Patrol/K9 Officer

30 Years

Lee Mull

Records Manager

25 Years

Detective Rob Faussone

Investigations

30 Years

Officer Jeff Grady

SRO/Patrol Officer

21 Years

Glen Klaich

GJRCC

20 Years

THANK YOU for your dedicated service to the Grand Junction Police

Department, and for your commitment to creating a safe and thriving

community for all of the citizens you’ve served over the years!

Grand Junction Police Department 555 Ute Avenue Grand Junction, CO 81501 Public Hours: Monday—Friday 7:00 am to 6:00 pm Website: www.gjcity.org/residents/public-safety/police-department/ Email: gjpd@gjcity.org (non-emergency only) Important phone numbers: Emergency: 911 Non-emergency dispatch: (970)242-6707 Police Administration: (970)549-5100 Police Records: (970)549-5000 Traffic Complaint Hotline: (970)683-3444 Citizen Comment Line: (970)549-5149

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