WestChesterBuzz.com

The West Chester Police Department and MetroParks of Butler County are offering its “Hooked on Fishing” program this Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Voice of America Park.

The free event allows parents to enjoy fishing with their children while encouraging a discussion about the danger of drugs. The program is geared for parents and for their children between the ages of 6 to 16.

Lunch will be provided at the event by the police department.

The program will be offered again on Thursday, July 5 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Registration is required to attend the event. To register, call 513-759-7312 or email lgroff@westchesteroh.org and leave your name, home phone number, the number of children who will attend and if participants need a fishing pole.

The drug prevention program was previously called “Passport to Fishing.”

Posted in: Events, News, Recreational events |

Tags: Tags: fishing, Hooked on Fishing, Hooked on Fishing West Chester, MetroParks, MetroParks of Butler County, passport to fishing, photo gallery, photos, police, West Chester photos, West Chester Police, West Chester Police Department, West Chester Township Police Department

The Enquirer

A drunk driving checkpoint will take place somewhere in Butler County Friday night, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

The time and location will be divulged Friday morning.

Most operations take place between 10 p.m. and 2 or 3 a.m.

Patrols also will be stepped up.

Last year in Ohio, there were 369 drug and alcohol-related fatal traffic crashes killing 399 people, said Lt. Ed Mejia, commander of the patrol’s Hamilton post.

Posted in: News |

Tags: Tags: Butler County, drunk driving checkpoint, Ohio State Highway Patrol, police

Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones announced Wednesday in a release that a joint roundup operation conducted over the last two days has resulted in 40 people being arrested and/or served with indictments, predominately from felony, drug-related offenses.

Below is a portion of the release.

A total of 69 secret indictments were issued by a Butler County Grand Jury and spanned 68 different individuals, all resulting from numerous undercover drug operations over the past year. At this time, 36 actual arrests have been made. Four others were located in Ohio prisons and were served their indictments. It is fully expected that there will be additional arrests made within the next day or two.

“We are constantly fighting the war on drugs, and having this cooperative effort from all those involved is great,” Sheriff Jones said in the release. “These secret indictments are the result of many hours of undercover work spanning many months of investigations, with a tremendous amount of support by numerous agencies. It’s nice when you can finally start catching and putting away the bad guys. Today is a good day for drug arrests in Butler County.”

The Butler County Prosecutor’s Office, the Sheriff’s Office Warrants Division, the Butler County Sheriff’s Regional Narcotics Unit BURN Unit with representatives from the prosecutor’s office, sheriff’s office, adult probation department, and police departments from West Chester, Fairfield Township, Monroe, and Oxford, and the United States Marshall Service all participated in the operation.

Posted in: Crime, News |

Tags: Tags: Butler County Sheriff's Office, crime, drugs, police, Richard Jones, Sheriff Richard Jones, West Chester Police, West Chester Police Department

The West Chester Township Police Department, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and MetroParks of Butler County held its annual “Passport to Fishing” event Tuesday. The event gives children and adults an opportunity to talk with West Chester’s crime prevention officers about the dangers of drugs.

>>>PHOTOS OF PASSPORT TO FISHING IN WEST CHESTER<<<

The event was held at the lake at Voice of America Park in West Chester.

There are also many other great moments captured on our Flickr photostream. And more West Chester and Liberty Township related photo galleries on our Photos page.

Also, remember to share your photos through the Photos page.

Posted in: Events, Government, News, Recreational events |

Tags: Tags: fishing, MetroParks, MetroParks of Butler County, passport to fishing, photo gallery, photos, police, West Chester photos, West Chester Police, West Chester Police Department, West Chester Township Police Department

The West Chester Township Police Department, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and MetroParks of Butler County will have its annual “Passport to Fishing” event Tuesday, Aug. 2, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The event is geared for children six through 16 and their parents.

At the event, children and adults will have an opportunity to talk with West Chester’s crime prevention officers about the dangers of drugs.

Fishing poles and lunch will be provided.

Participants are expected to meet at the gazebo at the Ronald Reagan Lodge at Voice of America Park at 8:30 a.m.

Registration is required and can be done so by calling 513-759-7312 or by e-mailing lgroff@westchesteroh.org. If interested in attending, leave your name, home phone number, address, names and ages of children attending and if you will need a pole.

Due to space limitations, the event is limited to 50 participants.

Posted in: Events, Government, News, Recreational events |

Tags: Tags: fishing, MetroParks, MetroParks of Butler County, passport to fishing, police, West Chester Police, West Chester Police Department, West Chester Township Police Department

The West Chester Township Board of Trustees approved the purchase of a canine for the West Chester Police Department during its public meeting Tuesday, June 14. The purchase will cost the township $15,000.

Once the new police dog joins the force, the West Chester Police Department will be equipped with four canines.

“We try to have at least one dog working around the clock,” West Chester Township Assistant Police Chief David Kelly said. “We have monitored and studied our crime data and we try to schedule our dogs accordingly. We have discovered that four is the optimal number to try to meet the needs of the community.”

It is not known when the police department will receive its newest member, but the board’s approval of the purchase initiated the process of acquiring the police dog. John Haller’s Top Dogs Police Canine Academy is now responsible for providing a police dog that fits the West Chester Police Department’s needs and requirements.

In late May, the West Chester Police Department lost one of its canines. Alex, who was a six-year-old German shepherd, suddenly showed discomfort one night and was taken to the veterinary clinic. At the clinic that night, Alex underwent exploratory surgery and it was discovered that he had cancer.

“He was a wonderful dog. He patrolled the streets like the other three did and, unfortunately, he went rather quickly … it was a great loss,” Kelly said.

Posted in: Government, News |

Tags: Tags: Alex, police, police dog, West Chester Police, West Chester Police Department

MetroParks of Butler County recently announced that it will have late-night fishing available once a month and a special event that will allow parents and children to enjoy a morning of fishing while learning about the dangers of drugs. The fishing events will take place at Voice of America Park.

Late-night fishing at VOA Park will be available on the first Friday of every month this summer. On those dates, which include June 3, July 1, Aug. 5 and Sept. 2, park goers can fish until 1 a.m.

Meanwhile, The West Chester Township Police Department, Ohio Department of Natural Resources and MetroParks of Butler County will have its annual “Passport to Fishing” event on July 28 or Aug. 2.

At the event, children and adults will have an opportunity to talk with West Chester’s crime prevention officers about the dangers of drugs.

Fishing poles and lunch will be provided.

Participants are expected to meet at the gazebo at the Ronald Reagan Lodge at Voice of America Park at 8:15 a.m.

Registration is required and can be done so by calling 513-759-7312 or by e-mailing lgroff@westchesteroh.org. If interested in attending, leave your name, home phone number, address, names and ages of children attending and if you will need a pole.

For more information about late-night fishing, call 513-755-4402.

Posted in: Events, Government, News, Recreational events |

Tags: Tags: fishing, late-night fishing, MetroParks, passport to fishing, police, West Chester Police, West Chester Police Department, West Chester Township Police Department

This past Thursday, Oct. 14, the community received a scare when an Amber Alert was issued after a Lakota Ridge Junior School student was picked up from school without permission. The student was later returned safety to the school that day and the suspected kidnapper was jailed over the weekend on an unrelated rape charge.

The man, who was previously reported to be the student’s uncle, picked up the student shortly after she arrived at Lakota Ridge on a school bus at 8:25 a.m.

The man ended up being Robert Rethamel, 39, of West Chester Township, who was the brother of the student’s mother’s boyfriend. Rethamel is also a friend of the student on Facebook.

According to Cincinnati.com, Rethamel (photo) was taken into custody at a trailer park off Ohio 747 and Port Union Road just after midnight Saturday, Oct. 16, for an unrelated rape charge.

The West Chester Police Department have yet to release details about the rape case, but could later today.

Channel 12 is reporting that the victim of the rape is under the age of 13. Although, the suspected kidnapping is not related to the case – the female student who was taken from Lakota Ridge Junior School was only 12 years old.

Posted in: Crime, News, Schools |

Tags: Tags: crime, kidnapping, Lakota Ridge, police, rape, Rob Rethamel, Robert Rethamel, West Chester Police Department

UPDATE: The student who was missing in a suspected kidnapping has been located. West Chester Police continue to investigate the case.

An uncle picked up a Lakota Ridge Junior School student this morning. However, the uncle does not have custody of the young girl or permission to pick her up from school. As a result, the West Chester Police Department is investigating this case as a suspected kidnapping.

Her uncle picked up the student, reported as Brianna Moniz by the Cincinnati Enquirer, at approximately 8:25 a.m. this morning, Oct. 14. The car that the uncle was driving was a 1999 white, Chevrolet 2500 pick-up truck with Ohio license plate EWU 4540.

The young girl is being described as 12 years old, white, 5-foot-2, 110 pounds with long brown hair. She was last seen wearing a white jacket and blue jeans.

The uncle is being described as a 39-year-old, white male, approximately 6-foot, 198 pounds with dirty blond hair and blue hairs.

People with information about the suspected kidnapping can contact the West Chester Police Department at 513-777-2231.

A message has also been recently posted on the Lakota Ridge website:

“You may be seeing an increase in the presence of police at Lakota Ridge Junior School. Lakota Ridge Junior had a student who arrived on a late bus and left the parking lot with a questionable relative. We are in contact with the family and with the West Chester Police who are in the process of issuing an Amber Alert. Safety and security of our students is paramount, and in this case, we will act in accordance with the West Chester police department.”

Posted in: Crime, News, Schools |

Tags: Tags: crime, kidnapping, Lakota Ridge, police, Robert Rethamel, West Chester Police Department

The West Chester Police Department received a call of a robbery in progress at the Waffle House restaurant located at 7312 Kingsgate Way in West Chester at 1:20 a.m. Oct. 5.

According to witnesses, two white males entered the business brandishing a shotgun and demanding cash. Before leaving, the suspects forced employees and patrons into the restrooms and then fled on foot in an unknown direction.

Taken in the robbery was a small amount of cash.

No injuries were reported.

The two suspects are described as follows:

1. White male , 5’9”, 160 lbs, 25-30 years old, blue eyes, long blonde hair with ‘five o’clock’ shadow. Wearing a flannel shirt and blue jeans.

2. White male, 6’0”, 180 lbs, brown hair, wearing a grey sweatshirt and blue jeans. Armed with a shotgun.

The case remains under investigation and the suspects should be considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information should contact the West Chester Police Department tip line at 1(513) 759-7272.

Posted in: Crime, News |

Tags: Tags: police, robbery, shotguns, Waffle House, West Chester robbery, West Chester Waffle House robbery