The
Street Crimes Unit is wrapping up their first month as a team. They’ve been
working many different operations successfully and
will continue to be more effective as Eugene Police is able to add capacity and
staff the entire team. Street Crimes has used this first month to begin
establishing relationships with stakeholders and community partners to
effectively target prolific offenders and criminal behaviors with intelligence
based policing.
The
SCU started off working with City of Eugene Code Enforcement to successfully
abate a nuisance residence on Willona Street. This location had generated
numerous calls for service over the last couple of years and posed a huge
safety risk to the area residences as well as the people who frequented the
location.
Street
Crimes assisted an Oregon State Police investigating to locate a person of
interest from a recent homicide in the Roseburg area.
The
SCU also partnered with EPD’s Special Investigations Unit to conduct online
sexual corruption of minor cases as well as a couple prostitution
stings. This focus has huge community implications due to the dangers or
Human Sex Trafficking and assaults to the sex workers from the “johns”. In
its latest operation SCU documented seven sex workers and offered resources and
services to assist them in changing their life style. They detained and
questioned four purchasers of sexual services, and referred the reports to the
District Attorney’s office for prosecution decisions.
The team partnered with Property Crimes detectives and assisted with the investigation of Amber Lynn Mosey, age 30, of St. Helens, Oregon, who had been committing a string of armed robberies in our area. Mosey ultimately stole a jeep from the Valley River Center area and eluded Oregon State Police. The pursuit ended in a single-vehicle crash and Mosey died from her injuries. While observing frequent short-stay traffic at a house off of Seneca Road, SCU observed David Charles Miner, age 38, of Eugene, leave the location in a vehicle with switched license plates. Miner had an active Attempt to Locate from Property Crimes for a Burglary in the Second Degree and Theft in the First Degree. Miner was in possession of over nine grams of methamphetamine at the time of the traffic stop on March 15.
The
Street Crimes Unit was able to locate a couple stolen vehicles, including one
that was occupied.
On
March 27, Street Crimes Unit officers were contacted by the US Marshal's office
and located Kyle Michael Jones, age 33. Jones was a fugitive from justice, who
had a nation-wide extradition warrant for aggravated assault out of
Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
On
March 28, officers conducted a traffic stop after observing a vehicle drive the
wrong way on W. 6th Avenue then engage in a hand-to-hand
drug exchange in the parking lot of a local motel. This exchange
occurred in the Whitaker area, where SCU has been requested to apply some
targeted enforcement. During the traffic stop, officers requested an Oregon State Police
drug detection dog response. The dog led police to more than 72 grams of
methamphetamine in the vehicle, as well as a user’s quantity of heroin and more
than $6,000 in cash.
SCU
has made several warrant arrests of prolific offenders. Many of these were
related to narcotic and property crime offenses.
On
April 2, Street Crimes Unit received a tip about the location of Bryan James
McBride, age 36, of Eugene. McBride had been on the run from police since
March 20, when he broke into his ex-girlfriend’s apartment, assaulted her and
stabbed her new boyfriend in the leg. McBride was found and in possession of
more than three grams of methamphetamine. He was charged with Unlawful Use of a
Weapon, Burglary in the First Degree, Assault in the First Degree, and Assault
in the Fourth Degree. He was also charged with Possession Methamphetamine Prior
Felony Conviction.
The SCU
worked in both the Whiteaker and West University neighborhoods. They especially
covered the West University area during Spring Break. While
conducting targeted enforcement in the West University area a subject fled from
a stop, and was ultimately arrested for possession of Xanex and Heroin.
Finally
the unit assisted the Downtown Bicycle Team with an operation last Saturday,
April 6 during the first day of the Saturday Market.
Eugene
Police Street Crimes Unit
The
SCU has been focusing on prolific offenders, who are identified through
intelligence-based policing, public tips and other sources. They have been
proactively responding across the city to quality of life issues as they arise,
using all available resources and partners such as community groups,
neighborhood associations and city services.
The
unit makes a dynamic difference in a variety of public safety issues including
on emerging crimes and neighborhood livability issues. This team creates
capacity within the organization to address and solve problems throughout the
city of Eugene. SCU is a tangible outcome of the one-time,18-month bridge
funding by Eugene City Council that is dedicated to targeting immediate and
acute community safety system issues while working toward mission-critical
enhancements that need to be addressed through a longer-term and broader
community safety initiative. The unit currently consists of a lieutenant, a sergeant
and four officers. The team will expand to include another sergeant and four
additional officers as staffing allows.