| Today's Features The Carthage Police Department Year End
Report has been presented to the City Council and
Mayor that shows that traffic accidents and
thefts were at there lowest levels in years.
According the Police Chief Greg
Dagnan traffic accidents were down 11% for 2011
and at the lowest level in over twenty years.
Thefts were down 33% over the last three years
and at the same level they were in 2007.
Dagnan also praised the
Investigations Division which he says 60% of
crimes were solved by arrest or submission to the
prosecutor.
"We have a professional
caring department," Dagnan states in a
introductory letter in the document, "full
of men and women who desire to provide only the
best levels of service and professionalism to the
citizens of Carthage. Unquestionably, we are the
premier department in the area."
The new Team Policing project
was also praised.
The project is designed to take
a targeted area that has a high volume of
criminal activity and calls for service and make
contact with each resident.
In the first half of 2011 the
area of Chestnut to Budlong and Clinton to River
streets were established as the area of focus.
"Our two Team Policing
projects have been wildly successful," the report
states, "with calls for service reduced by
32% in the first area and 47% in the second area.
Fear of crime was reduced by 53% in the first
area and 66% within the second area."
Over 2,600 hours of volunteer
labor and $15,000 in donations from citizens were
contributed to help with improvements in the
areas.
Free Tax Site
Opened February 4.
Help on filing taxes is
available again this year at the VITA tax site at
the Family Literacy Center, 706 Orchard in
Carthage for low to medium income persons.
The Carthage VITA site opened
February 4 and will prepare returns on Saturdays
10:00 am to 2:00 pm until the end of tax season.
(Exception March 17.) Returns will be prepared by
volunteers and will be electronically filed at no
charge. Direct Deposit to a bank account can be
arranged. Appointments will be taken by calling
the Family Literacy Center at 358-5926 on
Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday mornings.
Federal and State Income taxes
will be prepared. A Federal return should be
prepared before the State return, as information
from the Federal return is needed to complete the
State return. Those who need to file a Missouri
Property Tax (PTC) only, it will also be
prepared.
Taxpayers should bring picture
identification, Social Security cards for all
persons listed on the return, and all documents
needed to prepare their return. This might
include: W-2 forms from employment, 1099INT forms
from interest earned, 1099DIV forms from
dividends earned, 1099R forms from retirement
income, 1099Misc for self employment and SSA1099
forms from Social Security. All income must be
reported on the return. All respective forms
should be available before individuals come to
get their taxes filed. Providers of 1099 may not
send them until February 15.
The Carthage VITA tax site is
facility of the SWMO We Care Coalition with
volunteers trained by the IRS, which also
provides the computer program. Family Literacy
Center donates the space and the computers to
use. MSSU hosts the training sessions. The site
is coordinated by Marie Dame.
Citizens
Academy Offered.
The Jasper County
Sheriff’s Office is now offering enrollment
in our 4th, semi-annual, Sheriff’s Citizens
Academy. This session will run from March 1st
thru May 24th 2012 at the Sheriff’s Office.
Classes will be held every Thursday night from
6:30-9:00pm.
Participants must be 18 years
of age or older, have no felony or serious
misdemeanor convictions, and must be a resident,
work or own a business in Jasper County. There is
no cost for participants.
Topics will include: History of
the Office of Sheriff, Court House Operations,
Information Technology, Dispatching, Patrol
Functions, Dangerous Drugs, DWI Enforcement,
Animal Control, K-9 Operations, Detention Center
Operations, SWAT Operations, Firearms Training,
Cyber Crimes, Crimes against Children, Criminal
Investigations, and Crime Scene Investigations.
The Sheriff’s
Citizen’s Academy was initiated by Sheriff
Archie Dunn in 2010 to give the citizens of
Jasper County an inside look into the day to day
operations of the Sheriff’s Office and Jail.
Students will be introduced to the challenges
faced by law enforcement and an understanding of
why we do what we do. Students will receive hands
on training and will take the role of a Deputy
Sheriff in training simulations.
Interested persons can visit
jaspercountysheriff.org to obtain a registration
form. Completed forms can be faxed to
417-627-0953 or mailed to Jasper County
Sheriff’s Office SCA, 2907 CR 180, Carthage,
Mo, 64836.
Applicants will be contacted at
a later date to notify them of their acceptance.
Questions can be referred to
Sgt. Craig Davis at 417-358-8177 ext.1212.
Jasper
County Jail Count
199 January 31,
2011
Total
Including Placed out of County
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