Chat with Waco police Sgt. Patrick Swanton http://www.coveritlive.com/index2.php/option=com_altcaster/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=517d2d5575/height=//width= Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:02:40 GMT Thu, 07 Apr 2011 18:00:12 GMT 1 en-us <![CDATA[11:03 Carlos Sanchez]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:03:19 GMT
Today, we are joined by Sgt. W. Patrick Swanton, the Waco police spokesman.

Sgt. Swanton will explain his role at the department and address any concerns or questions that you may have about public safety and Waco’s police department.

Welcome Sgt., can you begin by explaining your role, particularly the challenges you have in keeping the public informed while protecting the integrity of ongoing investigations.
]]> <![CDATA[11:07 Sgt. Patrick Swanton]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:07:07 GMT Thanks for having me today. I used to work here in circulation years ago, even answered the switchboard when people missed their papers. It fit into my school schedule.
]]> <![CDATA[11:08 Carlos Sanchez]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:08:23 GMT Now we know where to send our complaints about both newspaper delivery and petty mischief. Let's begin with a question from Megan... ]]> <![CDATA[11:08 Comment From megan]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:08:26 GMT <![CDATA[11:09 Sgt. Patrick Swanton]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:09:46 GMT It's not. It occurs in every part of town. It just so happens we've had a couple of high-profile cases that appeared there in the last couple of weeks. Crimes do occur in any section of town. ]]> <![CDATA[11:10 Carlos Sanchez]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:10:14 GMT Much of our public safety concerns, Sergeant, may be issues of perception, which leads our next question... ]]> <![CDATA[11:10 Comment From Guest]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:10:18 GMT <![CDATA[11:10 Carlos Sanchez]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:10:55 GMT I know ICE has been around since at least the 1980s. Can you explain what ICE is, Sgt.? ]]> <![CDATA[11:12 Sgt. Patrick Swanton]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:12:08 GMT No, I don't think that America has the drug problem under control. It's going to begin with education in the schools. Waco PD is proactively working to keep drugs off the streets. It's what I call a "community problem," and we need assistance with knowing information about who's selling, who's dealing ... the community needs to help us with getting rid of the problem.
]]> <![CDATA[11:12 Sgt. Patrick Swanton]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:12:43 GMT ICE is crystallized methamphetamine, smokable meth. ]]> <![CDATA[11:13 Carlos Sanchez]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:13:31 GMT But, as is the case with the high profile shootings recently in the Lakewood Villa Apartment Complex, community involvement can be an intimidating thing. How do police alleviate those real concerns? ]]> <![CDATA[11:15 Sgt. Patrick Swanton]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:15:10 GMT I think we have to be there for citizens who are there to assist us. We have to stand beside them; we have to aggressively enforce retaliation charges when witnesses are intimidated or harassed. They have to know that they have our support. ]]> <![CDATA[11:16 Carlos Sanchez]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:16:07 GMT It seems like yesterday's arrest of two suspects would suggest that citizens are beginning to cooperate. ]]> <![CDATA[11:17 Sgt. Patrick Swanton]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:17:45 GMT Unfortunately for some folks, perception is their reality. In such cases at the Lakewood murders, people know that occurred in East Waco and they assume that all of East Waco is bad ... and that's not true. The same is true for downtown Waco, where something may occur and gets more press. I can say from a personal level, that crime is not more prevalent in downtown Waco than anywhere else. ]]> <![CDATA[11:17 Carlos Sanchez]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:17:58 GMT Sgt, let's take a question from Bill... ]]> <![CDATA[11:18 Comment From Bill]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:18:02 GMT <![CDATA[11:18 Sgt. Patrick Swanton]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:18:25 GMT See previous answer. We got ahead of ourselves. ]]> <![CDATA[11:18 Carlos Sanchez]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:18:51 GMT Let's examine department staffing with this question... ]]> <![CDATA[11:18 Comment From Guest]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:18:54 GMT <![CDATA[11:19 Sgt. Patrick Swanton]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:19:29 GMT In response to Carlos' comment, yes, people are cooperating and that's imperative in many criminal cases. ]]> <![CDATA[11:20 Sgt. Patrick Swanton]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:20:06 GMT Staffwise, we have roughly 240 officers. ]]> <![CDATA[11:20 Carlos Sanchez]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:20:58 GMT That's roughly one officer for every 500 population. Is there a good rule of thumb for staffing any department? ]]> <![CDATA[11:22 Sgt. Patrick Swanton]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:22:31 GMT I think it just depends on the geographics of the area. I would venture to say it's a little different for every part of the state. Obviously, city budgets come into play. There are lots of variables that go into staffing. ]]> <![CDATA[11:23 Carlos Sanchez]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:23:23 GMT Well, sergeant, we have a number of people waiting to ask questions. Let's begin with Catherine... ]]> <![CDATA[11:23 Comment From Catherine]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:23:26 GMT <![CDATA[11:25 Sgt. Patrick Swanton]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:25:45 GMT Some of those programs are already in place. Coming up towards the end of this month we are working on a joint venture with DEA by allowing citizens to bring back some of their old, unused prescriptions and drop them off in a safebox at the police station for destruction. ]]> <![CDATA[11:26 Carlos Sanchez]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:26:03 GMT Now a question from Megan... ]]> <![CDATA[11:26 Comment From megan]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:26:05 GMT <![CDATA[11:27 Sgt. Patrick Swanton]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:27:31 GMT I can't respond to what Baylor policy or visions for the city are. I would say that having Baylor University here in Waco is absolutely an asset for us. ]]> <![CDATA[11:27 Kirsten Crow]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:27:37 GMT There's been a lot of talk about possible gang activity recently. How would you describe gang activity in Waco? ]]> <![CDATA[11:29 Sgt. Patrick Swanton]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:29:55 GMT We know there are gangs here. The gang difference in Waco from some of the larger cities is kind of unique to Waco, meaning that we have small groups of folks that are involved in criminal activity that don't necessarily affiliate with some of the larger gangs, such as the Bloods and Crips, but they can continue to be a problem not only for our department but for the community at large. ]]> <![CDATA[11:30 Carlos Sanchez]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:30:45 GMT Do you believe there is a gang "problem?" ]]> <![CDATA[11:32 Sgt. Patrick Swanton]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:32:53 GMT It depends on your definition of what a gang is. Our definition of a gang is a group of people who are involved in criminal activity. Do we have that? Absolutely. Now, is it a widespread, overall problem that we're seeing in schools or that you can't go into a particular part of town wearing a particular color? No, we don't have gangs like that. ]]> <![CDATA[11:33 Carlos Sanchez]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:33:08 GMT Citizens do have strong views of the relative safety of such areas of town as East Waco, Another area that seems misunderstood is Cameron Park, an area that was the site of a recent daylight sexual assault. First, any update on that case? And how safe is Cameron Park? ]]> <![CDATA[11:35 Sgt. Patrick Swanton]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:35:33 GMT It is an active investigation, being worked by our Special Crimes Unit, and they are making some progress.
As to the second part of your question, Cameron Park is relatively safe. There is not an overall abundance of crime that occurs there and again, I would fall back on a high-profile incident like the sexual assault that occurred brings light to any area that that would have occurred in. ]]> <![CDATA[11:35 Kirsten Crow]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:35:37 GMT For residents who fear retaliation: What are some of the ways people can tip off police to criminal activity without advertising to their neighbors that they did so? ]]> <![CDATA[11:37 Sgt. Patrick Swanton]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:37:19 GMT Crime Stoppers is the absolute, best way to do it. It's anonymous. People get an ID number, they never have to leave their name. We get lots of information through that. And when the information is good and leads to an arrest, it can be lucrative to those people who gave the tips. ]]> <![CDATA[11:37 Carlos Sanchez]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:37:29 GMT Recent media reports from Dallas show strong evidence that Mexican drug cartels are now using that metroplex as a hub for distribution. Given Waco's proximity to Dallas and given I-35 is probably a corridor for the transport of Mexican drugs, are you concerned about cartel activity in Waco? ]]> <![CDATA[11:39 Sgt. Patrick Swanton]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:39:49 GMT I think we're concerned about cartel activity across the United States. These are very violent individuals, heavily armed, and have made threats not only to law enforcement but to citizens as well that may stand in their way.
We know that I-35 is a major drug corridor. We do some drug interdiction and try to make those routes not so easily accessible. ]]> <![CDATA[11:40 Carlos Sanchez]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:40:10 GMT On to a more localized, but no less disconcerting source of concern: prom season. As area high school students begin going to these formals, alcohol seems to be a temptation. Does Waco police do anything different this time of year knowing about the numbers of inexperienced drivers on the road? ]]> <![CDATA[11:41 Sgt. Patrick Swanton]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:41:51 GMT Yes, we participate in programs such as Shattered Dreams, which is a mock traffic fatality where a student going to prom is killed by a drunk driver. I can tell you that having been involved in those, that has a huge effect on the kids that are involved in presenting the program as well as those that watch that. ]]> <![CDATA[11:42 Kirsten Crow]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:42:05 GMT As a newer resident of Waco, I've heard a lot of discussion about crime spikes during the summer. Is that accurate, or an urban myth? ]]> <![CDATA[11:43 Sgt. Patrick Swanton]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:43:41 GMT I think that is true. You have more opportunities out there. People are on vacation; homes will be empty. The temperature has an effect on the way people react to each other. I think alcohol use tends to increase during the summer, which can lead to an increase in fights and disturbances. ]]> <![CDATA[11:44 Carlos Sanchez]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:44:33 GMT And how does Waco PD respond to the summer doldrums? Any different deployment strategy, for example? ]]> <![CDATA[11:45 Sgt. Patrick Swanton]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:45:18 GMT I would like to say that part of our efforts at Waco PD is to get the information out -- whether it's good or bad about crime rate -- and keep our citizens informed. Their involvement in helping us police Waco is imperative. ]]> <![CDATA[11:46 Carlos Sanchez]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:46:54 GMT And how best to keep citizens informed? You have done an excellent job of keeping the media informed, but is there a challenge to go beyond that? ]]> <![CDATA[11:47 Sgt. Patrick Swanton]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:47:09 GMT To answer Carlos' question, yes, we work with the Corps of Engineers ... we're out at the lake and the parks more. Another thing that we do is that we have a summer Junior Police Academy and try and keep our youth involved with the police department as well. ]]> <![CDATA[11:49 Sgt. Patrick Swanton]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:49:04 GMT We have to balanced in what we give. I would never want to put out information that could hinder an investigation or cause problems for courtroom testimony. However, we do want to put out as much information as we can that's possible. ]]> <![CDATA[11:51 Kirsten Crow]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:51:09 GMT Sergeant, you seem to be maintaining a good relationship with media. How would you describe Waco PD's relationship with the community? ]]> <![CDATA[11:52 Sgt. Patrick Swanton]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:52:47 GMT As a department, I think we need to be transparent to the media and the citizens. I want citizens to feel comfortable in knowing that Waco PD is a great department. We have well-seasoned and experienced investigators, probably have one of the best crime scene units in the state, and a wealth of knowledge in our patrol officers as well as our non-sworn employees. ]]> <![CDATA[11:52 Carlos Sanchez]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:52:53 GMT As we approach the top of the hour and the end of our discussion, we do have some additional questions from the public. Here's one from David... ]]> <![CDATA[11:52 Comment From David]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:52:56 GMT <![CDATA[11:56 Sgt. Patrick Swanton]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:56:22 GMT Let me start by saying thanks for having me. We have a top-notch crime prevention unit that will come out to homes and do security surveys at no cost. They can also assist with setting up neighborhood watches. As well, they do crime prevention programs to groups such as neighborhood associations, businesses, and schools on how to better protect yourself.
Burglars typically don't like to be seen. Leaving lights on or having motion lights that go on when no one is at home can be a great prevention measure. ]]> <![CDATA[11:56 Carlos Sanchez]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:56:35 GMT Sgt, it has been a pleasure to tap into your insights regarding an issue that is always a top concern for our community: public safety.

Is there anything you would like to say in closing this fascinating discussion? ]]> <![CDATA[11:58 Sgt. Patrick Swanton]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:58:50 GMT I look forward to the opportunity of working with the media to keep Waco and its citizens informed, and appreciate the support that Waco citizens and community leaders have shown Waco PD in the last few weeks. ]]> <![CDATA[11:59 Carlos Sanchez]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:59:48 GMT This will conclude our discussion. Please join us on Tuesday at 11 a.m. for a discussion with Baylor University's Dean Lee Nordt, who played an integral role in a major national news story regarding the discovery of the oldest civilization in the America's, which happened to be near Salado, up the road from Waco.

Thanks for everyone's interest and thank you Sgt. Swanton for your time. ]]> <![CDATA[12:00 ]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 18:00:12 GMT 
 
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