The Badge

MetroLink Transit Service Manager Recognized By St. Clair County Sheriffs Department for Stepping Up

2012-02-10T09:23:59-06:00

by Courtney from Metro

When you meet MetroLink Transit Service Manager (TSM) Amos Armour, you can tell he is a quiet, caring, and hardworking man. And, it is no surprise he would do something out of the ordinary by going above and beyond to help a deputy from the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department arrest a fare evader on a MetroLink train.

From Left to Right: Metro’s Interim Director of Security and Fare Enforcement Jason Davis, St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Christopher Davis, MetroLink Transit Service Manager Amos Armour, St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department Commander Dominic Lauko, and St. Louis County Police MetroLink Unit Commander Captain Guy Means

One morning in January, Armour and another co-worker were helping passengers at the Emerson Park MetroLink Station. The pair then boarded the next eastbound train. While waiting for it to depart, they heard a commotion in the aisle.

As passengers stepped aside, Armour saw a man trying to get away from the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department deputy who was assigned to the train. The passenger did not have a valid ticket, and pushed the law officer out of the way and headed toward the door. Deputy Christopher Davis grabbed his arm and upper body, to bring him to the floor. But the man was determined to get away, so he grabbed on to one of the hand rails, and tried to position his foot outside the train door to escape.

Seeing that the fare evader was trying to get away, Armour jumped into action, and grabbed the man and held him down until Davis could get handcuffs on him. The fare evader was immediately taken off the train and into custody at the Emerson Park Police Sub-Station. He was later taken to the St. Clair County Jail where he faced a several violations.

On February 1, Armour was presented with a special certificate for his efforts. Armour said, “Looking back in hind sight, I am just glad there were no injuries and that everyone was okay!” He smiled and went on to say, “I am not the hero because the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department is great. Whenever we call them, they’re right there, ready to assist.”

St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department Commander Dominic Lauko, Metro’s Interim Director of Security and Fare Enforcement Jason Davis, MetroLink Operations staff members, Deputy Christopher Davis and other police officers from St. Clair County and St. Louis County assigned to MetroLink attended the special ceremony which was held at the Illinois MetroLink facility in East St. Louis.

Armour enjoys being a MetroLink Transit Service Manager. For the last six years, he has worked as a TSM for Metro in Missouri and Illinois. He is just one of the many Metro employees who continues to go above and beyond the call of duty whenever needed because they care about the Agency and its transit system.

From Metro

Flag from Iraq

2012-01-26T09:12:56-06:00

St. Clair County Sheriff's Dept. Master Sergeant George D. Mokriakow poses with a United States flag he presented to St. Clair County Department. Morkriakow is also a First Lieutenant with the Air Force Reserve, with the 932nd Airlift Wing based out of Scott Air Force Base, and the flag was flown during an air medical evacuation mission on the 21st of November 2011. The flag will be displayed in the lobby of the St. Clair County Sheriff's Department in Belleville. Mokriakow is a descendant of William Biggs the first Sheriff of St. Clair County. photo by Zia Nizami photo by Zia Nizami–|Zia Nizami/BND

Read more here: http://www.bnd.com/2012/01/25/2031818/flag-from-iraq.html#storylink=cpy

Illinois Sheriffs Association Scholarship

2012-01-25T09:59:45-06:00

ILLINOIS SHERIFFS’ ASSOCIATION

ANNOUNCES SCHOLARSHIPS

The Illinois Sheriffs’ Association announces that it will be awarding over $53,000 in college scholarships throughout the State of Illinois to students wishing to pursue higher education during the 2012-2013 academic year. The scholarships are to be applied to tuition, books and fees only. The student must be enrolled full-time at a certified institution of higher learning within the State of Illinois.

Sheriff Mearl J. Justus, St. Clair County, will be awarding one scholarship in the amount of $500.

There will be no restriction on any applicant by reason of race, age, creed, color, sex or national origin. The only limitations are as follows:

· Applicants must be permanent Illinois residents;

· Scholarships must be utilized at institutions of higher learning with the State of Illinois;

· Students must be enrolled as a full-time student during the 2012-2013 school year, excluding summer session.

Applications are now available at the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department or on the internet at www.ilsheriff.org. Students must complete the application, answer the essay question and return all documentation to the sheriff’s office in their permanent county of residence by March 12, 2012 (must be postmarked by this date).

For more information, please contact Major Thomas Knapp, Executive Deputy, 618.277.3505, x5721, high school advising center or college financial aid office.

Ex-East St. Louis officer, 95, recalls old times

2011-12-16T08:52:40-06:00

BY WALLY SPIERS - News-Democrat

Sheriff Mearl Justus' dinner for retired law enforcement officers on Thursday at the St. Clair County Jail produced a lot of camaraderie.
"It's a chance to get together, see people you haven't seen for a long time and talk about old times," Justus told the crowd.

The dinner attracts men and women from the Sheriff's Department, the Illinois State Police and police departments from surrounding towns.

Justus introduced this year's honored guest, Tommy O'Brien, 95, a longtime East St. Louis police officer and a friend of many in the crowd.

O'Brien said he retired from that department sometime in the early 1960s as a lieutenant colonel and the assistant police chief.

He now lives in Grand Manor in Swansea.

"I had five children, I had to work after I retired," he said.

With Justus' help, he said he got a job in security with Cerro Copper and later worked at the East St. Louis Federal Courthouse.

O'Brien joined the East St. Louis Police Department in 1939, he said.

"It was the height of the Depression. I needed a job. I tried for two years to get on at the fire department. When I came up, they switched me to the police department," he said.

He survived a long and distinguished career, which nearly ended one Christmas Eve at the old Broadview Hotel. It most likely was 1958 when he was 42, he said.

"We got a call about a guy in a room with a gun," O'Brien said. "We walked in the room and he had a gun in his hand. We were talking him out. My partner grabbed him and was struggling with him."

Still the man managed to shoot O'Brien five times, with one bullet missing an artery in his leg by just a whisker the doctors said.

Tommy said he figured that relieved him of his duty to hold fire so he shot and killed the man.

"He must have been mental," Tommy said.

Bob Frisse, another retired East St. Louis police officer, said Tommy had a phenomenal memory.

"If you brought a guy in and he saw him, he could remember where he had seen him in our book before," Frisse said. "He is a legend."

Have a column idea? Call Wally at 239-2506 or 800-642-3878; or email: wspiers@bnd.com

Read more: http://www.bnd.com/2011/12/16/1981700/ex-east-st-louis-officer-95-recalls.html#ixzz1gi2tWiOX

Beyond Scared StraightSt. Clair County

2011-12-12T09:59:15-06:00

Officers make room so the inmates can give the teens a preview of the kind of stress and pressure they would feel were they to be incarcerated.

The "Scared Straight" juvenile intervention program at the St. Clair County Jail pits hardened convicts against Illinois' most defiant teens. David is a 14-year old with an explosive temper. Renee, 14, one of David's frequent eighth grade targets, steals clothes and dreams of becoming a teen mom. When an entire cellblock of screaming inmates unexpectedly swarms the teens, David and Renee must turn to each other for safety. However, the greatest shock of the day will come moments after the teens step outside the jail.

The Show will air on Thursday, December 15, 2011 at 9:00 pm central time on A&E

More information on the A@E Program click here.

For information on participating in future Scared Straight Activities at the St. St. Clair County Jail please click here.

Thanksgiving traffic enforcement

2011-12-01T13:35:38-06:00

Special Traffic Enforcement Patrols held during November 17 and 27, 2011 by the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department resulted in 167 citations. Included in that total were: 45 seatbelt violation tickets; nine driving under the influence arrests; 2 warrant arrests and 15 child safety violations.

The special Traffic Enforcement Patrols are 100% funded through the Illinois Department of Transportation, Division of Traffic Safety. Deputies emphasized violations for speeding, failing to wear a seatbelt, driving under the influence and other alcohol-related offenses during the patrols.

Robert J. Miller (1934 - 2011)

2011-11-27T10:34:17-06:00

Robert J. "Bob" Miller, 77, of Belleville, Ill., born Nov. 5, 1934, in Leadington, Mo., died Nov. 24, 2011, in Belleville, Ill.

Mr. Miller was a St. Clair County Deputy Sheriff for 40 years before retiring. He loved the outdoors, especially fishing; he formerly was a member of the Mid State Bass Anglers.

Robert was preceded in death by his parents; and a brother, William E. Miller.

Surviving are his loving wife of 57 years, Betty J., nee Richardson, Miller of Belleville, Ill.; his two sons, William (Angela) Miller of Sorento, Ill., and Craig (Jennifer Jarrell) Miller of Shiloh, Ill.; grandchildren, Michelle (Joshua) Kee, John (Trish) Carrico, Kyle Jarrell, and Kristen Maisel; and a great-granddaughter, Bethany Renee Kee.

Memorials are appreciated to the . Condolences may also be expressed online at www.lakeviewfuneralhm.com.

Visitation: Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m., Monday, Nov. 28, 2011, at Lake View Funeral Home, Fairview Heights, Ill.

Funeral: Services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011, at the funeral home. Interment will follow in Lake View Memorial Gardens, Fairview Heights, Ill.

LAKE VIEW FUNERAL HOME, Fairview Heights, Ill.

Published in Belleville News-Democrat on November 27, 2011

Read more: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/belleville/obituary.aspx?n=robert-j-miller&pid=154756957&fhid=8524#ixzz1evMRhuBU

Sheriffs Department collects 212 pounds of un-needed prescription drugs

2011-11-04T14:52:00-05:00

The Sheriff’s Department and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration helped the public prevent pill abuse and theft by collecting potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs on Drug Take-Back Day, Oct. 29, 2011. The public was encouraged to bring medications for disposal from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. The service was free and anonymous, no questions asked. Nationwide, the DEA and partner agencies collected 377086 pounds of unused medications.

We collected the largest amount of recycled prescription drugs in St. Clair County!

Department Pounds

Sheriff’s Department 212

O’Fallon PD 133

Belleville PD 36

Fairview Heights PD 30

Swansea PD 26

Total Collected 437

We partner with the DEA twice a year to collect prescription medications. But you don’t have to wait until the next collection day. We ha a permanent collection container in the lobby of the Sheriff’s Department.

Another record breaking day

2011-10-24T11:21:01-05:00

Sunday, October 23, 2011 was another record breaking day. Our population reached 535 detainees.

Population over the top!

2011-10-19T11:39:24-05:00

On Sunday, October 9, 2011 the jail population reached 531! This is our highest population total in our history. Or capacity is 330.

Department	Pounds
Sheriff’s Department	212
O’Fallon PD	133
Belleville PD	36
Fairview Heights PD	30
Swansea PD	26
Total Collected	437