BPD officers kept busy over weekend

141 calls for service from May 4 to 7

Over the course of a four-day period, police officers in the Village of Brockport responded to a record 141 calls for service. The calls ranged from a stabbing, to an intoxicated individual being struck by a vehicle and the rape of a 15-year-old girl.

Chief Daniel P. Varrenti said, "I am obviously concerned with this type of activity. The rape or stabbing could have easily turned into a homicide. Thank God the victim of the rape was not harmed any more than she was and that the stabbing victim didn't sustain an injury to a major artery or organ."

The weekend of crime started on Friday when an intoxicated individual, who was crossing Main Street, was struck by a vehicle driven by a 20-year-old male of Hilton. The driver was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated. His blood alcohol level was greater than .08.

Police also responded to an attempted suicide attempt when a village resident ingested more than 50 pills. The individual was transported to Lakeside Memorial Hospital for observation.

Varrenti also reported that a 15-year-old girl reported that she was forcibly raped at an undisclosed location in the village of Brockport. She was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital for treatment. The assailant is known to the victim, Varrenti said, and appears to be an isolated incident that poses no further immediate threat to the community. The investigation is ongoing and an arrest is pending.

On Saturday afternoon, officers responded to 23 North Main Street in the village of Brockport for a landlord tenant problem. The tenant, a 41-year-old man was angry that his landlord had entered his property to make necessary repairs. The situation was resolved and the officers left the scene. Several hours later, while the landlord was continuing repairs, the tenant, without warning or further provocation, approached him and stabbed him in the back.

Witnesses called police and provided statements. The suspect turned himself into officers at the Brockport Police Department and was arrested and charged with assault. According to Varrenti, the suspect has an extensive criminal history that includes other assault arrests. He was arraigned in the Town of Sweden remanded to the Monroe County Jail in lieu of $10,000 cash or $20,000 bond bail.

The victim was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital where he was treated for non-life threatening injuries and has since been released.

Saturday night, an "Alcohol Beverage and Control" drinking detail was conducted by members of the Brockport Police Department. While conducting the detail, a loud party complaint was received for 173 Main Street. Two undercover decoys were sent in to 173 Main Street. After paying a "cover charge" they were allowed admittance to the residence and access to liquor. More than 100 people were at the party at the residence. Village Code Enforcement officers were called to the scene and due to deteriorated condition of the home, the residence was deemed inhabitable. Various code enforcement violations may be levied against the property owner. Due to a large volume of calls for service no arrests were made at the time, however, six to 10 individuals were identified as "hosts" of the party and will be charged with unlawfully dealing with a minor. Close to $800 in cash was confiscated from various individuals as evidence of the sale of liquor and beer.

On Sunday morning, officers responded to a call for a fight that had broken out at the parking lot of the Canal Side Bar and Grill, at 25 Merchants Street. As a Brockport police officer arrived on the scene, he learned that an assault was ongoing near the Brockport Post Office, at the corner of Main Street and Clinton Street. As the officer approached the area he observed a large crowd watching as a person was continually kicking and assaulting another person who was lying on the ground.

The suspect, after seeing Officer Ralph Gleason arriving on the scene, fled on foot. Gleason, despite being tripped by an unknown person who was with the group who was watching the assault, eventually caught the suspect behind a local building in Brockport after a brief foot chase. Once cornered by Gleason, the suspect, a 5' 5", 215 pound male from Albion, began to move towards the officer in a threatening and physical manner. The officer ordered the suspect to stop and after failing to heed the officer's warning was "Tasered" twice. The first Taser shot caused the suspect to fall to the ground. The suspect began to get back up in an attempt to fight with the officer and resist arrest. At this time the suspect was Tasered a second time. Other officers arrived and assisted with securing the suspect. The victim was treated at Lakeside Memorial Hospital for minor injuries and released.

While attempting to place the suspect under arrest, other individuals began to come to the aid of the suspect. Officers sprayed Cap Stun to those who were closing in on the officers. Officers deployed Cap Stun in an attempt to disperse the crowd that was estimated to be in excess of 100 people. Two suspects continued to challenge the officers and demanded the release of the suspect. One suspect, a male of Albion, was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, a violation. He was issued an appearance ticket returnable to the Sweden Town Court. A second suspect, a male of Brockport, was arrested after he, too, began to fight with officers. He was also Tasered and arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, harassment and obstructing governmental administration. He was arraigned in the Town of Sweden and remanded to Monroe County Jail in lieu of $1,000 bail and was found to have a warrant out of Chenango County for criminal impersonation and will be turned over to that jurisdiction if and when bail is posted.

The suspect, after being treated at Lakeside Hospital following the Taser deployment, was charged with assault and resisting arrest. He was arraigned in the Town of Sweden and released on his own recognizance.

Officer Gleason was treated at Lakeside Memorial Hospital and released for scrapes and bruises that resulted when he was tripped. Officer Steve Mesiti was also treated and released from Lakeside Memorial Hospital for minor injuries he sustained while assisting with the arrests.

Five Brockport Police Officers and numerous Monroe County Sheriff's Deputies were called to the scene to restore and conduct the aforementioned arrests.

"As far as the civil unrest, it's my opinion that it's a byproduct that occurs when people lose, or never had, respect for family, or people in general, much less for people in authority," Varrenti said.

He said he was "committed to ensuring the safety of this community and his officers. This weekend, or whenever I believe it appropriate, additional officers will be deployed to ensure the safety of our community and the safety of our officers who are entrusted with protecting the community," he said. "Those who want to challenge the safety of this community or my officers will quickly learn that this type of inexcusable behavior will not be tolerated."

May 14, 2006