FMPD Honors Officers at Award Ceremony

December 13, 2013

“FMPD Honors Officers at Award Ceremony”

On Friday, December 13, 2013 the Fort Myers Police Department honored several employees at a monthly award ceremony. FMPD strives every day to not only protect and serve the residents of the City of Fort Myers, but to make it a better place to live. “It is our policy to recognize employees of exemplary performance of their duties” said Chief Doug Baker. “We appreciate their heroics and the hard work that these men and women put in each day.”

On November 27, 2013 Officer Jari Sanders responded to 2576 Third Street in reference to a male attempting to sell a gun for money or drugs. The caller gave a detailed description of the subject who Officer Sanders quickly located. During the initial contact with the suspect, Officer Sanders’ keen investigative skills led him to the discovery of a fully loaded Glock 21 – .45 caliber handgun concealed in a backpack the suspect was carrying. During the continued investigation to include post-Miranda statements, Officer Sanders discovered the handgun to be stolen from a burglary off McGregor Boulevard earlier that same day. A criminal history showed the suspect to be a 7-time convicted felon with a long history of burglaries. The suspect was arrested for Carrying a Concealed Firearm and Possession of a Firearm by Convicted Felon. Photographs of jewelry worn by the suspect at the time of arrest were taken, and later that evening the victim of the McGregor burglary positively identified those items the suspect possessed. Officer Sanders turned a complex investigation into a textbook arrest by understanding criminal law application.

Recently Sergeant Glenn Thompson, Officer Timothy McCormick and Officer Kelsey Evenson responded to the Village Creek Condominiums located at 2937 Winkler Avenue in reference to a woman who had been stabbed in the neck. Officers arrived on scene and met with the victim who was suffering from multiple wounds to her neck and stomach.  The victim named her roommate as the person that assaulted her. Officers assisted the victim as she hung on to her life, while gathering vital information on the crime. The victim was transported to Lee Memorial Hospital and rushed into surgery for her life threatening injuries. Officers spoke with witnesses and discovered that the suspect fled the scene on his moped.  Officers immediately transmitted the information to Sergeant Ramy Moussa and Officer Gloria Camacho who began researching possible whereabouts of the suspect. Their efforts led them to an address where they located this person who was still armed with the knife that was used during the assault. Officers also located a loaded AR-15 magazine in his pocket.  Twenty-seven minutes after the initial 911 call, officers arrested the suspect for Attempted Second Degree Murder.

On November 22, 2013 Officer Christopher Scavo and Officer Cassie McHale were on routine patrol in the area of Market Street and Ford Street.  The officers observed a vehicle parked in the parking lot of the Neighborhood Discount Store, and observed a male in the vehicle attempting to hide from the officers. The officers checked out with the vehicle, which was occupied by a male and two females. A second male associated with the vehicle was in the store. Officers made contact with all individuals and during the initial investigation Officer Scavo located several pieces of drug paraphernalia. With further investigation, it was learned that the men were in the process of attempting to pawn drills at this neighborhood store at the items were in fact stolen from the Home Depot on Forum Boulevard. The officers also learned that this group of individuals was suspected of traveling around Lee County stealing tools from hardware stores. Officer Scavo and Officer McHale arrested the two males from this investigation, charging one with an active warrant and drug possession and the other subject with grand theft in relation to the stolen drills.