• Money Scam Alert Targeting Elderly.
  
• Former Chief Mike Bischoff Receives Governor's Award
  
• Citizen Police Academy Graduates
  
• Changes to Kentucky's Seat Belt Law
  
• Fort Thomas Police are members of A Child Is Missing (ACIM)

This month a Fort Thomas resident became a victim of a phone scam (Grandparent Scam). The caller preyed on the victim's good nature using their grandson's name. The grandfather received a call from an individual that claimed to be his grandson. The caller stated that he needed a money order for several thousands dollars to be sent to a location to help pay off a vehicle accident he was involved in.

Shortly after that phone call the person called back and stated to the grandmother that he needed an additional several thousand dollar money order sent right away. After the real grandchild was located it was found out it was not him and he was never in the city the suspect requested the money sent to. In fact the grandson discovered in November that his license and credit card was missing.

Red Flags to watch out for:
* Call from a family member in trouble...who doesn't give his name
* Caller says "it's me" or "it's your grandson"
* Caller requests they "wire" cash, unstoppable and untraceable
* They are in a far away location

The Better Business Bureau says get a phone number, tell the person you will call them back, and check with another family member.

This is just the newest variation on the foreign money scam. The common thread in all of these: Wiring money by Western Union or a similar service.

Please do not send money to anyone who is requesting the money be sent until after verifying it first with all persons involved. If you receive calls like this report it immediately to your local law enforcement department.

Mike Bischoff was nominated for the Governor's Award for Outstanding Contribution to Kentucky Law Enforcement. This award was implemented as a means to reward and honor Kentucky's Law Enforcement Leaders who are working on a statewide level to improve police services.

The Citizen' s Police Academy graduated Tuesday night March the 25th, 2008. We congratulate the entire class for their enthusiastic participation and graduation.
If you would like to attend our Citizen's Academy, see the forms and brochures section for application. Courses begin each January and last for 10 weeks.

On April 24, 2006 Governor Ernie Fletcher signed into law a bill that amends Kentucky Revised Statutes section 189.125. This law will go into effect on or about July 12, 2006. The significant changes to the law are summarized below:

• All occupants of motor vehicles manufactured after 1981 must wear a seat belt.
• Police officers will no longer be required to have other cause to stop a person for not wearing a seat belt.
• Seat belt violations shall not be transmitted to the Transportation Cabinet, and a conviction of this violation shall not be included on a person's driving history record.
• The $25 fine for violation shall be subject to prepayment and shall not be subject to court costs.
  
  Note: The section about the $25 fine, prepayment and no court costs for violations is published separately in KY Acts, chapter 180, section 9, which can be accessed by the following link: http://www.lrc.ky.gov/Statrev/ACTS2006/0180.pdf
  
  
• The driver of the vehicle is responsible for all occupants of their vehicle. If four of the driver's passengers are not wearing their seatbelts, the driver can receive a citation for $100.00.
• Law enforcement agencies shall be prohibited from erecting roadblocks for the sole purpose of checking for seat belt use violations.
• Until January 1, 2007all law enforcement agencies in this state shall be required to issue a courtesy warning rather than a citation to persons who violate the seat belt law. The courtesy warning shall not include a fine or any other penalty but shall inform the violator of the amount of the fine that well be assessed for a violation and the date the courtesy warnings will end. The courtesy warning shall also include educational material on the benefits of complying with Kentucky's seat belt law.

Kentucky Child Restraint Law

Any driver of a motor vehicle, when transporting a child of forty (40) inches in height or less in a motor vehicle operated on the roadways, streets, and highways of this state, shall have the child properly secured in a child restraint system of a type meeting federal motor vehicle safety standards.
Any person who violates the provisions of Kentucky's Child Restraint Law shall be fined fifty dollars ($50) and shall pay an additional fee of ten dollars (10), which shall be deposited in the Traumatic Brain Injury Trust Fund.
(Governor's Highway Safety Program: http://www.ghsp.ky.gov/seat_belt_ky_law.htm)

Child Restraint & Seatbelt Law Exceptions

Fort Thomas Police are members of A Child Is Missing (ACIM),
a Fort Lauderdale-based non-profit organization founded in 1996, was created because no community-based program existed for locating missing children, the disabled and elderly during the crucial first hours of disappearance. Activated only by law enforcement, the ACIM program is available nationwide.

THE ACIM PROGRAM WORKS LIKE THIS:
An officer has verified that an individual is missing and an ACIM technician is called. The officer gives the technician the pertinent information about the missing person, including description, clothes worn and time/location last seen. The technician records a personalized message with case details asking residents for information and to check their premises. Answering machines can pick up ACIM calls so that residents can hear the alert when returning home. ACIM can place 1,000 calls in sixty seconds, can process multiple cases simultaneously, and can work without jurisdictional boundaries. ACIM also has a sexual predator / offender program, offered in states that allow law enforcement to notify residents that a predator has moved into their neighborhood.

THE PROGRAM OFFERS:
1. Educational programs on child safety and parental awareness.
2. Law enforcement training and refreshers; training videos and brochures.
3. A Child Is Missing media kits including video footage for TV spots upon request.
4. An ACIM Speakers Bureau to enhance community involvement.