WHEN YOU GO AWAY

Ask a trusted neighbor to collect your mail and newspaper, and offer to return the favor. Leave word about when you’re leaving, when you’ll return, and how you can be reached in an emergency. Put automatic timers on at least two lights (and possibly a radio) to help your home look and sound lived-in. Don't be afraid to contact the Sturgeon Bay Police Department at 920-746-2450 to have Community Service Officers conduct property checks on your house while you are gone.

School Starting Soon! Don't Pass School Buses

Drivers must stop on the street or highway 20 feet or more from any school bus that has stopped and is flashing red warning lights.

• This applies both to vehicles approaching from the rear and from the opposing lanes.
• All lanes of traffic must stop for the school bus, except in opposing lanes if the highway is divided with a center median.
• No vehicle may proceed until the bus resumes motion and has turned off the red warning lights.
• The stop arm on the bus is an added communication to other drivers, but the lack of an extended stop arm is not reason to pass a bus whose red lights are flashing.

In some urban areas buses will signal with yellow lights, or use red lights only in some parts of town. Motorists should observe school buses carefully for either the "pass cautiously" yellow light signal or the required full stop when a bus is flashing red lights.

A vehicle owner can be cited when the driver of a car passes a school bus illegally. A law enforcement officer need not witness this violation if the school bus driver reports it to the law enforcement agency within 24 hours. Fines can be quite high for illegally passing a school bus, but the risk of hitting a child is even higher.

ANIMAL BITES

If any pet which has a current rabies vaccination is involved in a bite or a scratch incident, the owner shall isolate and confine that animal for a minimum of ten days. During that confinement a licensed veterinarian at a minimum shall exam the pet on the first day, tenth day and on one day in between at the owner’s expense. If the animal is confined at the residence of the owner, it must not be allowed to come in contact with other animals or people and cannot be left unattended outside.

Any animal involved in a bite or scratch incident that has not been vaccinated or has not been revaccinated within the prescribed time must be confined at a veterinary hospital, under the supervision of a veterinarian, for a minimum of ten days or as recommended by the veterinarian. During that confinement that veterinarian at a minimum shall exam the pet on the first day, tenth day and on one day in between at the owner’s expense. Under no circumstances can the owner sell, give away, or destroy the animal until it has been released by a licensed veterinarian after the ten-day confinement (quarantine) period.

Failure to follow this ordinance may result in a fine or confinement or both.

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PRESCRIPTION DRUG DROP OFF

Managing unused medications is a safety as well as an environmental concern. Traditionally, we were told to flush unwanted medications down the drain or toilet rather than keeping them around so they would not be misused by the patient for the wrong symptoms or by someone else who was not prescribed the medication and who might use the drugs recreationally.

Although effective in removing the medication from potentially being misused, flushing creates a new and growing problem in the environment. Antibiotics and other medications in a septic system can destroy beneficial bacteria necessary for the system to operate. Wastewater treatment plants are not designed to remove or process many compounds found in medications that end up being discharged into our surface and ground water. A study by the United States Geological Survey done in 1999 showed that in 80% of the streams sampled contained detectable levels of compounds found in common medications.

Please help by disposing of your expired medications properly. If you have expired medications or  medications you are no longer prescribed please bring your medications to the Door County Sheriff’s Department at:

Door County Justice Center

1201 S. Duluth Avenue

Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin 54235

The Door County Sheriff’s Department accepts drop-offs Monday thru Friday between the hours of 8:00 am – 4:30 pm. They will accept your prescription medications and over the counter medications (pills and capsules) at the main reception area. Once there please remove all medications from their appropriate bottles and place the medications into the provided bag and close it. Then place the bag into the metal pass through where a Sheriff’s Department staff member will take the medications and secure them. These medications will then be disposed of at a secured facility several times a month.

What items are not accepted at the Door County Sheriff’s Department:

• · Liquids
• · Creams
• · Syringes
• · Lotions
• · Chemo Therapy Drugs
• · Aerosols
• · Inhalers
• · Needles
• · Thermometers

THANK YOU for your help on the war on drugs.

LOUD EXHAUST

Again this year Officers will be cracking down on loud exhaust on all vehicles. If you have loud exhaust you could be stopped and issued a 15 day warning to fix your defective exhaust. If  you don't comply with the 15 day warning you might be cited.

347.39  Mufflers.

(1)  No person shall operate on a highway any motor vehicle subject to registration unless such motor vehicle is equipped with an adequate muffler in constant operation and properly maintained to prevent any excessive or unusual noise or annoying smoke. This subsection also applies to motor bicycles.
(2) No muffler or exhaust system on any vehicle mentioned in sub. (1) shall be equipped with a cutout, bypass or similar device nor shall there be installed in the exhaust system of any such vehicle any device to ignite exhaust gases so as to produce flame within or without the exhaust system. No person shall modify the exhaust system of any such motor vehicle in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise emitted by the motor of such vehicle above that emitted by the muffler originally installed on the vehicle, and such original muffler shall comply with all the requirements of this section.
(3) In this section, "muffler" means a device consisting of a series of chambers of baffle plates or other mechanical design for receiving exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine and which is effective in reducing noise.

IDENTITY THEFT PREVENTION

In the past few years not many crimes have increased as rapidly as Identity Theft, with the advances in technology criminals are finding  it easier and easier to get your information. So what can you do? Follow these tips to help protect yourself.

·        Retrieve your mail in a timely manner. If you are going to be away from home for a period of time have the Post Office hold your mail or have someone you trust pick it up.

·        Don’t write down your account numbers

·        Use a secure mailbox when available

·        Shred all financial documents, billing statements and pre-approved credit card offers before throwing them into the trash or recycling bin. Cross cut shredding is the best.

·        Pay bills online through a secure site

·        Memorize all your passwords

·        Examine all of your bank statements and credit statements for suspicious activity

·        Keep your personal information confidential. Only give this information to people you trust in a location where no one else can over hear.

·        Don’t give out your credit card information unless you are on a secure website

·        When at the ATM verify nobody is behind you while you are entering your PIN

·        Minimize the number of identification and credit cards you carry with you. Take only what is necessary in case your wallet or purse is stolen or misplaced.

·        Examine your credit reports from the major credit reporting firms at least once a year looking for any suspicious activity.

So what do you do if you suspect you are the victim of identity theft.

·        Call the Police Department at 920-746-2450

·        Check your bank accounts

·        Contact your bank and the credit reporting agencies

·        Work with your creditors

If you follow these tips you can help reduce the possibilities of being a victim to 

LOCK IT UP

One of the most common types of theft is theft of valuables from your automobile. Theft from auto is strictly a crime of opportunity that can be prevented if you take away the opportunity. Thieves generally won’t waste their time breaking into autos that don’t have valuables in plain sight. Please take the precautions listed below to help ensure your auto is not targeted by thieves: Keep Your Valuables Out of Sight The best way to prevent theft from your auto is to always keep valuables out of sight. Never leave cell phones, briefcases, suitcases, or electronic devices (cell phones, iPods, laptop computers, etc.) in your car in plain view. Take these items with you, or secure them—all the time, every time. Secure Your GPS DeviceWhile many GPS devices are mounted in the dashboard of the vehicle, the SBPD encourages anyone who uses a portable GPS device to take it with you, along with any other items of value, when you park the car. Use Your TrunkIf your car has a trunk, use it. Put valuables in there or in a locked glove compartment. Hiding items under seats is better than leaving them in plain view, but securing them inside the glove compartment or trunk is a far better deterrent. Don't Tempt Thieves with New PurchasesDuring the holiday season especially, or any time you’re shopping, place packages in the trunk, not on the passenger seats or floors. Remove Your Radio Faceplate If you can unfasten your sound system and take it with you, or lock it in your trunk, do so. And don’t forget to do the same with your CDs and tapes. Lock It Up Also, keep your car doors and windows locked—all the time!

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IDENTITY THEFT SAFETY TIPS

•Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the nation, and students may be particularly vulnerable to this crime.
• The first step to prevent identity theft is awareness of how and when you use your personal information. By keeping close tabs on your personal information, you can reduce your chances of becoming an identity theft victim. Memorize your Social Security number and passwords. Don’t record your password on papers you carry with you.
• Do not use your date of birth as your password.
• Shred pre-approved credit applications and other financial documents before discarding them.
• Order credit reports every year from each of the major credit reporting agencies and thoroughly review them for accuracy
• Never give personal or financial information over the phone or Internet unless you initiated the contact
• Do not carry your Social Security card or birth certificate with you
• Report lost or stolen credit cards immediately
• Check your monthly credit card and bank statements for unusual activity

COLLECTION OF RECYCLING

When recyclable material is set out for collection, the recyclable material shall become the property of the city and its authorized agents and employees. No person or entity not employed by or contracted by the city for the purpose of collecting recyclable material shall collect or otherwise take any recyclable material from the place where it is set out for collection. If someone does take recycling from the curbside he or she could face a fine from the City of Sturgeon Bay for doing so.

VEHICLE SECURITY TIPS

• Take the extra time to ensure car doors are locked.
• Place shopping bags in trunks, if possible.
• Remove GPS units, mobile video players, cell phones, Ipods, etc. from plain view.
• Park under light poles or near the entry/exit doors.
• Report any suspicious activity directly to the police department.

WHEN YOU GO AWAY

Ask a trusted neighbor to collect your mail and newspaper, and offer to return the favor. Leave word about when you’re leaving, when you’ll return, and how you can be reached in an emergency. Put automatic timers on at least two lights (and possibly a radio) to help your home look and sound lived-in. Don't be afraid to contact the Sturgeon Bay Police Department at 920-746-2450 to have Community Service Officers conduct property checks on your house while you are gone.

PULL OVER IN SAFE AREA

The most important rule to follow when being stopped by Police is to stop, but the second most important rule is to make sure to stop in a safe area as soon as practically possible. Don't pull over in a place that will put you and the Officer in danger of being possible struck.