Every year Fraternal Order of Police Westchester Lodge No. 152 gives a bunch of needy kids in the community a truly merry Christmas, with its Shop with the Cop program.

Participating kids go on a shopping spree at the Kmart with officers from the Chesterton, Porter, and Burn Harbor police departments, who help them pick out some warm winter clothing and toys.

It’s a great program and the officers really look forward to it but it all depends on the generosity of the community. The more cash donations made to FOP Lodge No. 152 for Shop with a Cop, the more kids can go on the spree.

This year, with tough economic times all around, the Chesterton First United Methodist Church (CFUMC) is really getting behind Shop with a Cop. From 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. this Friday, Nov. 20, the Mission Team at CFUMC is holding an all-you-can-eat chili supper fundraiser, with all proceeds going to Shop with a Cop.

But there’s more. For every FOP member who attends the chili supper and eats as the Mission Team’s guest—every Chesterton, Porter, and Burns Harbor officer or dispatcher—an additional donation will be made to Shop with a Cop by a member of the Mission Team who wishes to remain anonymous.

Tickets are $5 for adults, $25 for families, and kids under 5 eat free. CFUMC is located at 434 S. Second St. in Chesterton.

At Wednesday’s meeting of the Chesterton Police Commission, Police Chief George Nelson said that he would encourage his officers and dispatchers to get themselves a fine chili supper on Friday.

So Duneland officers and dispatchers, show up on Friday in uniform or flash your badge, have a bowl or three of chili, and get in the Christmas spirit.

In other business, members agreed by consensus to interview, in two batches of nine, the top 18 scorers of the 34 candidates for the five new positions of probationary patrol officer. Those interviews will be conducted sometime early in December and the new officers could be in uniform as early as January.

Police Chief George Nelson told the Chesterton Tribune after the meeting that the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF) recently approved the department’s 2009 budget, which includes funding for the five new hires.

Earlier this year the Town Council increased the authorized strength of the CPD from 21 officers to 26 after last year’s successful excess levy appeal, which the DLGF granted with the understanding that more officers will be needed to service several newly annexed areas east of Ind. 49 and south of the Indiana Toll Road.

The excess levy has also made possible the hiring of five new firefighters, and Fire Chief Mike Orlich told the Tribune today that those five will start work on a probationary basis on Dec. 1.

In October the CPD responded to 1,275 calls (1,299 in September), filed 99 cases (93), issued 54 citations and 115 warnings (83 and 212), filed 12 felony charges and 21 misdemeanor (seven and 12), served three warrants (four), and investigated 35 accidents with four injuries (23 and eight).

Information on juvenile cases was not available.

Calls for service included 49 alarms (28 in September), 16 animal complaints (16), one report of battery (three), four burglaries (one), 13 domestic calls (eight), nine reports of fraud (10), one motor vehicle theft (zero), eight parking violations (five), four peddler complaints (four), 15 residence checks (five), one runaway (four), one report of shoplifting (zero), 30 suspicious circumstances (64), 17 suspicious persons (20), 16 suspicious vehicles (30), 21 thefts (29), 135 traffic stops (135), five train complaints (zero), 18 incidents of vandalism (22), 26 miscellaneous juvenile complaints (35), one burning complaint (zero), four noise complaints (11), two fireworks complaints (three), and one report of identity theft (one).

Posted 11/19/2009