New Full Time Officer in North Judson

Posted on Author WKVI
Nicholas Vanni
Nicholas Vanni

A new police officer is on the job in North Judson.

Porter County resident Nicholas Vanni is the latest full time officer at the North Judson Police Department. He had been working part-time for the department since the summer of 2013. He attended the police academy in early August and graduated from the Northwest Indiana Law Enforcement Academy in Hobart in November.

Town Marshal Doug Vessely stated that Vanni is looking forward to moving to the North Judson area in the near future. He’s familiar with the area with having visited family members who live in the Starke County town.

Posted on Author WKVI

North Judson Police Department
North Judson Police Department
The North Judson Police Department had a busy year in 2013.

Officers responded to 77 accident calls, 128 animal calls, 786 citizen/business/house checks, 35 assault and battery calls, 95 drug and alcohol activity calls, 109 family and juvenile disturbance calls, 69 mischief and vandalism calls, 99 theft/conversion calls, conducted 673 traffic stops and responded to hundreds of various situations. In all, 3,499 calls were handled by the North Judson Police Department.

In other statistics from 2013, 232 total reports were written, 146 ordinance tickets were given to residents, 452 traffic warnings were given to motorists and 110 adults arrests were made.

For weekly information, visit the police reports section on www.wkvi.com.

Officers Bust Underage Drinking Party in Knox, 16 Arrested

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

A report of an underage drinking party at a home on Tribue Drive in Knox early Sunday morning resulted in 16 arrests for illegal possession of alcohol. Deputies from the Starke County Sheriff’s Office and officers from the North Judson and Knox Police Departments responded just before 2 a.m. In addition to the arrests, a 15-year-old was taken home and released into the custody of his or her parents, according to a news release from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department.

Report of Shots Fired in North Judson Ends in Three Arrests for Battery

Posted on Author WKVI

 
 
Three people were arrested in Knox following reports of shots fired in the area of Leyton Court in North Judson. Officers from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department and the North Judson Police Department responded to the area on Friday, Sept. 13, where they found a victim that stated she had been battered and tazed and the suspect had also stolen her purse.

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North Judson Hostage Situation Ends Peacefully

Posted on Author WKVI
Warren Chapman of North Judson was arrested without incident Wednesday night.
Warren Chapman of North Judson was arrested without incident Wednesday night.

A tense evening in North Judson ended with the arrest of a 48-year-old resident who is accused of firing shots inside his Talmer Avenue residence. Warren Chapman initially refused to surrender when officers from the North Judson Police Department arrived at his home, which is located just west of Brantwood’s and across the highway from the former NJ Foods store. Police Chief Doug Vessley requested assistance from the Starke and Pulaski County SWAT Team, and volunteer firefighters barricaded the streets in the surrounding area. When SWAT team members entered the home, Vessley says they found Chapman in the basement. He surrendered without incident and was taken to jail. Charges are pending.

NJPD to Conduct Unclaimed Property Sale

Posted on Author WKVI

North Judson Police Department
North Judson Police Department
The North Judson Police Department has announced that they will be holding an unclaimed property sale on Saturday, June 8 beginning at 10 a.m., when they will conduct an auction or sale of unclaimed recovered property as well as some items laying around the department.

A variety of items, including more than 35 bicycles, several stereo speakers, a few strands of wire, a few tools and a number of gasoline cans will be sold. Each bicycle will have a minimum price of $10.

The auction begins at 10 a.m. at the North Judson Police Station, where the items will be displayed in the back near the garage area.

North Judson Man Arrested on Theft Charge

Posted on Author WKVI

A North Judson man was arrested Thursday after allegedly attempting to steal items from a Medaryville store.

The owners of Twice is Nice told police that a woman was in the store paying for items when Dalton Campbell told her that he was going outside while she finishes with her purchase. While he was walking out, one of the owners noticed a sleeve from a garment for sale hanging out from the back of his jacket.

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North Judson Police Department Responded to Nearly 4000 Calls in 2012

Posted on Author WKVI
Doug Vessely
North Judson Town Marshal Doug Vessely

The North Judson Police Department responded to 3,899 calls in 2012.

Town Marshal Doug Vessely reported year-end statistics that showed 850 citizen assist and house check calls, 717 traffic stops, 27 battery reports, 12 Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated reports, 7 burglary/robbery reports, 69 thefts/conversion reports, 15 alcohol/drug reports and 22 mischief/vandalism reports.

North Judson Officers made 107 adult arrests, wrote 136 ordinance violation tickets and issued 467 traffic warnings in 2012.

North Judson Man Arrested For Alleged Battery

Posted on Author WKVI

Formal charges are pending against a North Judson man who allegedly was involved in a domestic battery issue Sunday.

North Judson police responded to a call of a domestic dispute in the 300 block of Franklin Avenue. A woman called police to say she was battered by her husband, Jeffrey Jacobs, in front of a child. She called 911 to report the incident but he took the phone from her and hid.

After an initial investigation by North Judson Police and with the assistance from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department and the Knox City Police Department, Jacobs was located and taken into custody. He was arrested on preliminary charges of Domestic Battery, Resisting Law Enforcement and Interfering with the Reporting of a Crime. He was booked in the Starke County Jail.

North Judson Man Arrested For Purse-Snatching

Posted on Author WKVI

A North Judson man was arrested Sunday after allegedly stealing a woman’s purse.

North Judson police received a call late Sunday night from a woman who reported her purse stolen. Clayton E. Hale had left a local establishment with a friend and then he went home. When the woman went home, she noticed her purse was missing.

Officers later found Hale who was in possession of the purse as well as controlled substances and marijuana.

Hale, 26, was arrested on preliminary charges of Theft, and felony counts of Possession of Marijuana and Possession of a Controlled Substance.

Traffic Stop in North Judson Nets Two Arrests

Posted on Author WKVI

Two people were arrested following a traffic stop in North Judson Monday night.

Officers observed a car near Schricker and Talmer Street that was known to be driven by Randall Stone who has a suspended driver’s license. Police conducted a traffic stop and confirmed that Stone was driving the vehicle with a suspended license. During the traffic stop, a search of the vehicle was conducted and drugs were allegedly found inside the vehicle.

Randall Stone, 43, of Wheatfield, was arrested on preliminary charges of Possession of Methamphetamine Within 1,000 feet of a Public Park and Driving While Suspended With a Prior Conviction. His passenger, Patricia Ann Vega, 48, of North Judson, was arrested on preliminary charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of a Controlled Substance within 1,000 feet of a Public Park. Stone’s vehicle was impounded for having false and fictitious plates.

San Pierre Woman Arrested after an Alleged Battery Incident

Posted on Author WKVI

An alleged battery incident occurred yesterday in the North Judson area.

Angela Schwei and another woman were reportedly engaged in a verbal argument in the Burger King restaurant on Talmer Avenue and were told to leave. They went out in the parking lot and the argument escalated. Schwei allegedly got out a sharp object and slashed the victim on the leg, causing a gash.

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Starke County Traffic Safety Partnership to Participate in Click it or Ticket Campaign

Posted on Author WKVI

Officers from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department and Knox and North Judson Police Departments will be participating in the “Click it or Ticket” campaign beginning May 18th through June 3rd.

This blitz, coordinated by the Indiana Governor’s Council on Impaired or Dangerous Driving, allows officers to patrol during this seat belt enforcement period. All drivers and passengers are encouraged to wear their seat belts at all times in a motor vehicle. If you don’t wear your seat belt, you will receive a traffic citation. No warnings will be given.

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North Judson Police Investigate Scam

Posted on Author WKVI

The North Judson Police Department recently investigated another scam going around the area.

Police say a resident on Lincoln Avenue received what appeared to be a legitimate check in the mail for around $3,800 from a nationally-known insurance company. The person was asked to deposit the check and wire $1,900 back to the company to receive the remainder of the money. This is a scam. If you deposit the check and wire the money, the check will bounce and your money will already be claimed by the scammer.

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