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FROM THE CHIEF OF POLICE
WILLIAM J. RUTTEN
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| PGA Championship Update:
The Kohler Police Department was involved in several different aspects of the events surrounding the PGA Championship. The responsibilities spanned the duties of general participants exit routes traffic control, special events at the Kohler Memorial Theater, the concert in the Ravine Park, as well as the regular calls for service. The Kohler Police Department was fortunate in that the Village of Kohler Tourism Committee agreed to reimburse the Village for the officer’s overtime and part-time officers’ hours from the tourism funds. These funds are separate from the general taxes and are restricted to tourist related activities/advertisement, etc. All the events that occurred in the Village went very well. My officers were glad that the week was over and did a fantastic job! I also appreciated the support of the Wisconsin State Patrol that loaned our department an unmarked squad at no cost to the Village. Many of the players were seen out and about throughout the entire week of events. They chose to mingle amongst us and felt completely comfortable and for the most part were not bothered. I think that the Kohler residents’ hospitality and respectfulness of the players shows how truly unique the Village of Kohler really is.
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Recently the Kohler Police Department has been receiving more citizen complaints of general mischief happening to their yards and houses. Many of these complaints are happening after the hours of darkness by the youth of the village. Some of the complaints are being perpetrated by friends and are causing grief for the parents that live there. When we follow up on the complaints, we have been discovering many are being committed by youth under the age of 17 after the time of curfew, which is 10:30 p.m. In addition to the curfew violations, many of the homeowners are requesting enforcement of littering laws or other ordinances that apply. What may seem like fun to kids, can be very annoying to residents and may result in citations.
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School is Back in Session:
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Now that school is back in session, please remember to drive carefully on the streets around the school. The speed limit is 15 mph when children are present in the school zones. There is no stopping or standing of vehicles for the westbound traffic on School Street. Also, parents that drop children off in the morning should do so close to the crosswalk so the students can be helped across the street. Students that are crossing in mid-block amongst the vehicles are harder to see and are not as safe. Also remember that students can now be dropped off on the north side under the canopy to avoid the traffic.
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The Wisconsin statutes prohibits “play vehicles” from being on the roadways in Wisconsin. These include: skateboards, ripsticks, and scooters. Also, state statutes prohibit any motorized vehicle from being operated on the sidewalks. That would include motorized scooters. This basically leaves only private property where permission has been granted. Please understand that the state statutes cannot be changed by Village ordinance, therefore we cannot permit someone to operate in violation. Many of these items are not cheap to purchase. Please be cognizant of the rules prior to purchasing one for the family.
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I have had conversations in the past with people that relay information about an incident that may have occurred several days prior. After talking to them, I express that I wished they would have called at the time of the incident. We need your help on many of the incidents we deal with. It could be a suspicious circumstance or a problem house. The officers may be close by, but don’t always hear or see what you may. Call if you are concerned or disturbed, anonymously if you prefer. We will do our due diligence and will always strive to make Kohler the best place possible to live and work.
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On June 5, 2010 the Kohler Police Department held a bike safety day in the parking lot adjacent to the Village Hall buildings. We had approximately 75 participants this year with perfect weather. Officer Matthew Hocevar and Administrative Assistant Jodie Kuklinski did a good job in preparing for the event this year. Harley from Wolf's Cycle was present and did a safety inspection on each bicycle. Each attendee received a new bicycle helmet and a bike accessory along with a beverage and a bag of chips. The bicycle helmets were generously donated by the Habush, Habush, & Rottier Foundation out of Milwaukee, who also assisted with the fitting of the helmets. The chips were donated by Frito Lay of Oostburg and the soda was donated by Lakeside Pepsi of Sheboygan Falls. We all look forward to doing it again next year. Pictures of the event can be viewed by clicking here.
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Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run:
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For many years, law enforcement has been a big supporter of the Special Olympics by participating in the Torch Run and fundraising. This year, I ran portions of the Sheboygan County leg of the Torch Run which occurred on the morning of June 10th. It started in Sheboygan and then ran from the Kohler Police Department to the Sheboygan Falls Police Department. Officers from Sheboygan PD, Sheboygan County Sheriff’s Department including Sheriff Helmke and myself from the Kohler PD all took turns carrying the torch. Events such as these raise awareness in society that everyone is not as fortunate as us and we should all try to give back when we can.
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Are you or someone you know getting consumed by texting? Are you or someone you know texting while driving? Many of us think of ourselves as good drivers, but those of you who text and drive are 23 times more likely to be involved in a crash than someone that isn’t texting. Sometimes we think that what is going on in our lives is the most important thing. Things can go bad real quick when you are distracted. A distracted driver is a dangerous driver on the roadways for everyone. There is enough to be watchful for when driving, let alone being distracted by phone calls or texting. To read more about texting and driving click here.
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Carbon Monoxide Detectors:
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I received a pleasant call from a Village resident recently requesting that I write about carbon monoxide detectors. She went on to tell me that a bird had built a nest in her chimney that eventually blocked the odorless fumes from escaping. She hadn’t felt well, and almost didn’t wake up for a phone call. Once awake, she faintly heard her detector being activated. She was succumbing to the deadly fumes of the blocked furnace, carbon monoxide. She left the residence and had the problem fixed. Without the detector, we may not have had our conversation. If you don’t have a detector, they aren’t expensive and can save your life. I’m glad we had our conversation for several reasons, seeing that she is okay and also for the topic to write on. Please click here for more information on symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. Also if anyone has a suggestion, please don’t hesitate to send a topic my way.
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The Kohler Police Department is continuing its program of controlling the deer population in the Village of Kohler. The department has again received a DNR permit to control the herd and will hopefully be able to keep the population in check this winter. In addition, several years ago the Village Board enacted an ordinance prohibiting the feeding of deer anywhere in the Village of Kohler. The ordinance is an attempt at keeping the deer out of the residential areas of the village. The ordinance prohibits the artificial feeding of deer with corn or grains, salt or minerals, or fruits and vegetables placed there for the purpose of feeding or attracting deer. By not feeding the deer, hopefully they will stay in their normal habitat and not encroach on the residential areas.
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I write these articles every month, not knowing if they are widely read or not. Last month, I had some immediate feedback about the stop sign violation enforcement from multiple people. I appreciate that. As always, we are here to serve the community. The Kohler Police Department tries hard to keep the community safe and make it a place that we all enjoy residing in. I know many people through many different avenues now having worked and lived in the community for a while. Many people wait to see me at a function or out and about to ask me questions, etc. You don’t have to wait, feel free to call me or send me an e-mail. Also, as always, the police department is available for immediate response 24/7 when you need us.
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Sexual Offender Ordinances:
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The Village recently enacted new ordinances that restrict certain convicted sex offenders within the Village of Kohler. The Village has set a limit on residing in the Village within 1,500 feet of a park, school, or church. In addition, sexual offenders can not loiter within 500 feet of those same locations. The Kohler Police Department has a link on our website to a .pdf file that shows those designated areas, which you can get to by clicking on this link Sex Offender Info. In addition, the Kohler Police Department has registered on the website Family Watchdog which is a State of Wisconsin site that will notify us in the event a sexual offender moves into the area. If you have questions or concerns, please call.
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The definition of a stop by state statutes is “a complete cessation from movement”. This allows for the driver to properly check for other traffic and pedestrians. The Kohler Police Department has been stepping up enforcement of stop signs as a way to educate the public that slowing down at stops signs is not stopping. The vast majority of the stops have been for warnings, but some citations have been issued, depending on the circumstances. Also, most of the stops are by people that live nearby. If you have not been stopped by an officer, you are probably stopping properly. The stop signs can be a pain, but they are there for our safety.
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If you haven’t seen the foxes yet, you probably will. The Village has become home to several fox, and has caused more than a few phone calls to the police department. The sighting of a fox is not totally a bad thing, as they remove a number of rodents and excess rabbits and squirrels. The sighting of fox also indicates that there won’t be as many coyotes in the area, which can pose more of a threat to small dogs, etc. Coyotes and fox do not coexist very well together. Dale Katsma from the local DNR office indicated that fox can be removed if they become a nuisance by the land owner. The land owner wanting to do that would need to observe local ordinances, such as the inability to use a firearm and also state DNR statutes. Katsma indicated that the vast majority of fox don’t carry rabies and don’t do harm to the human population. He stated that they actually become very comfortable with humans around and can be enjoyed from a wildlife sighting perspective. If interested, a wildlife fact sheet is available from the Kohler Police Department. To learn more about red foxes, click on the following link The Red Fox.
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With the gun deer hunting season right around the corner, the Kohler Police Department is reminding all those with firearms to use caution when handling firearms. Also, the Kohler Police Department continues to supply Masterlock trigger locks for all residents that want one. One free gunlock can be obtained from the police department just by stopping in. For those who have already obtained one in 2009, another can be obtained starting in 2010. In addition to the Masterlock trigger locks provided by the Kohler Police Department, a federal program, Project Childsafe continues to have locks available at the police department, while supplies last. These locks are the cable lock variety and anyone may request up to three of those for their guns too.
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School Street Stopping/Standing:
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In accordance with Wisconsin Statute 346.52, stopping and standing is prohibited on the nearside of a street adjacent to an elementary/middle school. This rule is in place for the safety of the students. Recently, we have seen an increase in the vehicles that are “just stopping for a second” in front of the school. This brief stop is preciously what needs to be avoided. Children may dart in front of stopped vehicles or between vehicles that they believe aren’t going to move. If inclement weather is occurring, use the north canopy drop off area to the school, which is the safer alternative.
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Occasionally the Kohler Police Department will receive complaints about parking problems throughout the Village. Typically neighbors don’t want to complain directly to their fellow neighbor, but call our department with questions or to start a complaint. Parking is restricted near the Kohler Company to 1 hour and 2 hour parking. The only exception is for residents of the Village of Kohler. All others must abide by the restriction. The rest of the Village has a restriction of 72-hour parking. No vehicle may be parked in one location for longer than 72-hours without being moved. Also, RV's, campers, boats, and trailers can only be parked on the street for up to 24 hours. In addition vehicles need to be 4 feet from a driveway, 10 feet from a fire hydrant, and 15 feet from a marked crosswalk. Please be aware of the parking restrictions.
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The Kohler Police Department has police patrols on-duty 24 hours a day. The office is open Monday-Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. If you need to contact our department, call 459-3877. If no one answers, you will be given menu options. Option #1 is to have an officer dispatched; this connects the caller with the Sheboygan County Sheriff’s Dispatch. I urge anyone that calls about an active incident, suspicion complaint, theft complaint, etc. to choose this option. We do have an officer on-duty option #2 if you would like the officers to be aware of something that isn’t urgent. The officers periodically check that message throughout their shifts. If you have an emergency, please dial 911 as that is the fastest way to be connected with the emergency dispatcher.
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The Kohler Police Department has two very dependable and dedicated crossing guards that keep the Village’s children safe. They provide a valuable service, at five different time intervals of up to almost an hour during lunchtime, during each and every school day. Please help them out by instructing your children that are going straight home to do so before the crossing guards are done with their shifts. If anyone has a question of the time intervals, please contact the police department or Officer Sass at the school.
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Recently some of the Kohler residents were victimized by having numerous items taken from unlocked vehicles. The items ranged from cash and CD's to credit/debit cards. Within days, the cards were being used in Milwaukee at gas pumps, etc. with no surveillance. That same night an unlocked vehicle with the keys inside was also taken. The vehicle was recovered in Milwaukee a week later, with numerous items also missing. Nothing was taken or done to locked vehicles in the area. Despite the best efforts of police, these types of crime can still happen. Don’t be a victim, keep your vehicles locked.
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Are you prepared for an Emergency?
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Another aspect of emergency planning for a community is trying to get the message out that each family have a plan if an emergency affects their home. Are you prepared for a short power outage, or loss of water pressure? Does your sump pump have battery backup if you loss power for several hours? Do you have a kit at home to provide food and water for three days in the event of a major disaster? The nation seems to be getting hit with natural disasters all the time, assistance for large areas may take time to have power grids restored or water systems repaired. Click on the following link to be redirected to the Emergency Preparedness site.
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Have you or someone you know been a victim of Identity Theft? Statistics show that over 8 million Americans have been a victim of identity theft. The perpetrators are looking for victims without criminal records and good credit ratings, that’s you! Protect yourself with some easy to do steps. Shredding your confidential mail is very important. Remove unnecessary identifying information from your checks, such as phone number and Drivers License number (a retailer will ask if they need it). Check your credit report annually for free at Annual Credit Report. You do not need to sign up for anything at the site to get the report. Stop unsolicited pre-approved credit cards from being mailed by calling 1-888-5-opt-out (1-888-567-8688), you can opt-out for life. Also, never answer questions about your identity on the phone or by unsolicited e-mails. Your bank or other financial institutions have all your information, they don’t need you to tell them again by e-mail or phone. You can view other ways to protect yourself and take a quiz to see if you could be a victim by clicking on the following link Identity Theft.
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Soliciting without Permits:
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The Village of Kohler has been experiencing an increase in door-to-door salespersons soliciting without first obtaining permits. The fees for the permits are nominal, but the important aspect is that the Village is aware of exactly who is soliciting. Background checks can be run and only legitimate organizations are allowed to solicit. If someone is soliciting legally, they will not be upset if they are asked to see their permit. If no permit has been issued, please send them on their way and contact the police department immediately. Non-profit organizations and established local businesses (i.e. Sears, etc.) that may be going door-to-door are exempt from the permits issued by the Village.
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If you haven’t seen your bike or scooter lately, we may have it. The Kohler Police Department regularly gets dozens of found bikes and scooters each year, many in great shape. Some don’t have a non-expiring Kohler bike license that allows our department to return it to its rightful owner. In those cases, the bike or scooter is kept until either it is claimed or auctioned off. If you are missing your bike, scooter, or any other property call the police department at 459-3877.
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Be careful on who you give your credit card information to. A scam that is becoming more prevalent is a phone caller posing as a credit card company saying they are looking into a suspicious charge on your account. They indicate that they don’t need your name or number, just asking about the charge. They tell you of a charge that is obviously fraudulent and make you feel that they are protecting you. Then they ask for your 3-digit code on the back of your card. This code allows them to use your card on the Internet, etc. Your credit card company will not ask you for that information, since they already have it. Never give out your date of birth, social security number, bank account number, pin numbers, or credit card numbers to callers. If you do receive a call, ask for their information and call them back at the legitimate number you already have in your records or the number on the back of your card.
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8-Year Old Booster Seat Law:
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Governor Doyle signed an 8-year old Booster Seat Law that went into effect June 1, 2006. The law requires children under 8 to be in a booster seat, unless they are over 80 pounds or taller than 4 ft. 9 inches. This law should make the children in Wisconsin safer while in vehicles. Many of the local stores carry these types of seats and can be purchased for under $25.
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Law Enforcement Solicitation:
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The Kohler Police Department receives numerous calls about phone solicitation from telemarketers on behalf of law enforcement. Many people have been wondering how that money affects the local police department. Our response is that we don’t receive any money from those solicitations, and I recommend that people don’t donate to these telemarketers. My recommendation would be for those that want to donate, do so directly to the charity of your choice. Telemarketing is a business and only a portion of that money goes to those associations/entities. Also, these types of calls can be annoying, but due to their affiliation with non-profit organizations, they are not restricted by the “No Call List”.
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Don’t forget that if you are planning to go away at any time during the year, that you may have the Kohler Police Department check your house while you are gone. Residents can now request a vacation check on-line through the Kohler Police Department’s web page, by stopping by the department, or calling. If you call outside of regular business hours you may leave a message too. In your message just include your name, address, duration of your vacation, and any other pertinent information that we may need to know. Some pertinent information may include lights that are on timers, alarms, and names of persons that may stop by or keyholders. Any other questions about this service, please call the police department.
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I recently spoke to a concerned citizen about nearly being hit by a bicycle on a sidewalk. The Village of Kohler has always allowed bicycles to be driven on the sidewalks within the Village. The operators of bicycles must yield the right-of-way to the pedestrians on the sidewalks. Please be courteous to those other persons that may be using the sidewalks, paths, etc. to keep our Village safe.
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The Kohler Police Department has received several complaints of animals at large in the Village, including the cemetery. Cats and dogs are required to be on a leash or chain not longer than six feet when off their property. Animals that are on their property must be controlled by voice command, fenced in, or on a leash no longer than 15 feet. Please keep in mind that not everyone in your neighborhood wants your animal in their yard. Also, when walking your animals, please pick up after them. Many people use the green areas in the Village to exercise their dogs without picking up after them. Please be courteous to your fellow residents. No one wants to complain about his or her neighbor.
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