Key West Police Chief Sean Brandenburg joined Good Morning Keys on Keys Talk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about what’s going on in the city.
The Key West Police Department has many outreach initiatives to build community relations, including the Cops and Kids Summer Splash.
Chief Brandenburg said, “This year’s Cops and Kids Summer Splash last weekend was another huge success. A lot of thanks I’ve got to give out: Lower Keys Hospital, Aqueduct, Four Star Rental, Morrison Health, Key West Personal Chef, Lost Kitchen, Coca Cola, Monroe County Sheriff’s office, FWC, NAS police. We had motorcycles, horses out there, free hamburgers, free hot dogs, free water, free Powerade drinks, keeping everybody hydrated. We had several hundred individuals come through. One one individual of note, Mrs. Universe showed up out of nowhere. So we got our picture taken with Mrs. Universe, and she even gave us a little plug on her social media. So it was a great day. Lots of kids, lots of fun. The splash pad was there. Four Star Rental hooked us up with a tent to get some people out of the sun and the heat, and then some bounce houses that the kids absolutely loved. This is all thanks to Floyd Jenkins as well, my administrative assistant. He puts his heart and soul into this. We gave out free books, free coloring books. The fire department was there with the ladder truck. Hard to overlook the giant red truck, the biggest truck there. All our community partners got together, met up down at Truman Waterfront, and it was just a day of fun and meeting with the public. So thank you to everybody that helped. Thank you even more to everybody that came out, and we look forward to trying to make it better next year.”
A kilo of cocaine washed up in Key West recently.
Chief Brandenburg joked, “So if you lost a kilo of cocaine in the area of Port Zach, we have it in our custody, and some of my detectives would love to talk to you about you and your criminal enterprise. That is happening. It’s somewhat not necessarily regularly, but we still have drugs coming ashore, and there are still drugs coming into our area. And Key West Police Department is working very hard to keep them at bay and doing a very good job at that. So we appreciate all of those efforts.”
Saturday, July 18 will be the Key West Police Department Love Fund hosting Duval Donates to benefit Key West Police Officer Mike Pettee and Monroe County Sheriff Deputy Tiffany Rodda.
Chief Brandenburg said, “They lost their home in a fire in May. Asking all to please take part, support the Key West Police Department Love Fund, which always does terrific work, and that’s the Duval Donates coming up Saturday, July 18. That evening we will have a stage in the 200 block of Duval. I think this is the first time I can recall every bar on the 200 block of Duval, as well as around the corner on to Caroline Street, have all gotten together all for a single purpose. Again, to raise money for those two officers that lost their home back in May, and of course, Mike suffered severe injuries. Still not back to work. Still multiple doctor’s appointments a week, trying to get him back to where he can come back to work and help us out. We’re going to be having a huge celebration down on Duval Street from six to 10 p.m. on Saturday night, and if you can come out, please come out. We’ll have the streets closed. If I understand it right, you’ll be able to buy tickets from the booth that the Love Fund is operating, and then take those tickets into any of the bars that are participating, and trade them in for drinks and food.”
A man got into a fight with a bartender in Key West recently.
Chief Brandenburg said, “One of our local bars. He did flee the scene before officers arrived. We did locate him, of course, a short time later tried to run from officers. The officer held him at Taser point until backup officers arrived. The individuals spit on and officer and made multiple threats to all the officers on scene that he was going to, and I quote, kick their asses and also other forms of retribution. So he got a free ride to the R and R Bed and Breakfast.”
Remember you can’t smoke marijuana unless you have medical clearance to do so.
Chief Brandenburg said, “Individual out smoking marijuana in a location not permitted, even if you did have a marijuana card, and then admitted to having additional marijuana and pipes in his vehicle. After checking criminal history on him, we did find out that he was a convicted felon that had not registered in Monroe County. There are rules and regulations if you’re a convicted felon when you move into an area or when you’re going to be in an area for too long. All felons are aware of those rules and regulations. They’re explained to them when they’re released. So he was taken to jail, and his vehicle towed for a multitude of crimes.”
There was yet another case of marijuana use.
Chief Brandenburg said, “Down at Simonton Beach, we’ve had a problem with kayaks not being stored properly when they come ashore there. The officers were down there taking the ones that were improperly stored into custody. An individual decided to interject himself into that situation and try and interfere with the officers with what they were doing, and smelled of marijuana. Officers asked him if he had additional marijuana, and he said, yeah, I’ve got another 12 grams of marijuana in my bag here. So, he came up to officers that were there for another purpose, wanted to interject himself, and wanted our undivided attention while smelling of marijuana and carrying 12 grams of marijuana. So again, he got a trip to the R and R bed and breakfast.”
KWPD helped with an FWC warrant recently.
Chief Brandenburg said, “FWC had obtained a warrant for an individual that we’d been dealing with, a couple of my officers were involved in surveilling the boat that he normally stays on. They did see an individual that matches description go to that boat, so they contacted our Marine unit, and they took our police boat out into the Cow Key channel. And as we were approaching the boat, the individual that matched the description and two other individuals jumped into a small dinghy and took off at a high rate of speed. As our police vessel got closer, we recognized the operator of the dinghy as one James Huckabee Jr. due to several prior law enforcement encounters, emergency lights were activated and siren were activated on our police boat. Temporarily, the dinghy tried to evade us, but that was not going to turn out well for them. So they did decide to comply as we pulled up, we made a positive ID on the individual driving the dinghy, as Mr. Huckabee, and took him into custody. Had him come over onto the police vessel, and he was taken into custody without much further issues and arrested on a felony warrant for from FWC. So again, working with our partners in the community to keep the community safe.”
Alyson Crean, public information officer for Key West and KWPD, will be retiring.
Chief Brandenburg said, “Alyson came to the Key West Police Department in 2008, so she’s been a fixture around here almost as long as I have. In her previous careers, had been a journalist, a writer, a publisher, an editor, a photographer, anything in that trade, she knows how to do. She has done a great job representing the Key West Police Department and the City of Key West, and she’s going to be sorely missed. This is one of those cases, depending on whose shoes you’re in, it feels a little different for those of us that are going to have to remain. We’re sad for her. I think she’s a little happy. So, very well deserved retirement, and I wish her the very best. As far as I know, for at least for the near future, she will be remaining in Key West, so she’s not too far away, and she’ll always be available as my friend to assist me in not saying the wrong things while I’m on the radio.”
Just last night KWPD answered 148 calls for service and made 25 traffic stops.
Chief Brandenburg said, “We are busy even for the off season, even for as hot as it is out. There’s plenty to do. I made a traffic stop on my way in this morning to help educate an individual that there’s no left turns off of North Roosevelt onto Palm Avenue, so got to help him out, but at the same time we had large pieces of equipment coming into town, and all the community worked together to let him make that turn off of North Roosevelt onto Palm Avenue. So we have a great community here that worked together to get us through our day, and our officers are out there day and night trying to help out and make it a safe place to live, work, and play.”