Talking with Greenhills!

The latest edition of Talking With Greenhills, produced locally by Waycross Community Media, features Sergeant Tony Patton, our Patrol Supervisor, along with two of our newest officers, Carl Holbrook and Zachary Braun. They discuss what it is like to be a police officer in Greenhills, as well as some of our upcoming events. To check out this interesting ten minute video, click here!

Annual Report Released!

The Greenhills Police Department has released its 2020 Annual Report.

It contains stories, pictures, and a year in the life of the Greenhills Police Department, its officers and staff, and our residents!

To check it out, click here.

The Greenhills Police Department is committed to excellence, and has regularly been carefully reviewed by professional assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies and the State of Ohio's Law Enforcement Collaborative. Assessors have found our policies meet their high standards in critical policy areas that include the use of force and safeguards against bias. To see more about the benefits accreditation offers the department and our citizens, click here.

Members of the Greenhills Police Department, in partnership with our citizens, will continue to excel in providing dependable and professional service to ensure the safety of our community.

Free Courses!

Two popular courses have returned that will be both fun and educational:

The Citizens Police Academy includes a tour of the department and general orientation, information about our patrol, drug and criminal investigations, crime scene processing, and personal safety. Participants will take part in a shoot, don’t shoot firearms simulator, drive a cruiser during a pursuit in a driving simulator, and act as an officer in crime scenarios. The academy will begin when sufficient participants have signed up and mutually agree on a convenient time and dates, as well as the length of the program. For additional information click here. For a sign up form, click here.

Real World Self Defense

Our popular four-hour "Real World" Self Defense class is designed to teach you how to be safe in today's dangerous world. There are ways to avoid becoming a victim, and we will show you how. Even if faced with danger, we can show you ways to protect yourself and your loved ones. The class is taught by a State-Certified Self-Defense Instructor, and can literally save your life! For more information, click here.

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Move Over

What is the Move Over Law?

Ohio's Move Over Law is designed to protect the lives of everyone who works on or uses our roadways. The law requires all drivers to move over one lane passing by any vehicle with flashing or rotating lights parked on the roadside.

The original law took effect in 1999 to reduce risk to law-enforcement officers and emergency responders. It was expanded in December 2013 to apply to every stationary vehicle with flashing lights, including road construction, maintenance and utility crews.

What if I can't move over?

The law recognizes that sometimes it is not safe or possible to move over because of traffic or weather conditions or because a second lane does not exist. In those situations, slow down and proceed with caution. Watch for people or objects that could enter your travel lane, and be prepared to stop.

How does the Move Over law differ from yielding the right of way to emergency vehicles?

Yielding the right of way to an emergency responder requires you as a driver to pull to the right-hand side of the road and stop when a law-enforcement officer, fire truck, ambulance or other emergency vehicle approaches using a siren, lights, or other warning devices. You must wait until the emergency responder(s) has passed by before you can resume driving.

How serious is the problem?

Across the nation, hundreds of people are killed or injured every year when they're struck by a vehicle after pulling over to the side of the road or highway. On average, these "struck-by" crashes kill one tow-truck driver every six days; 23 highway workers and one law-enforcement officer every month; and five firefighters every year. Tragically, stranded motorists are also struck and killed.

Can I be cited for failing to comply with the Move Over law?

Yes, and the issue is so serious that fines are doubled. Violators are fined 2 x $150 for the first violation (a minor misdemeanor), 2 x $250 for the same violation within a year of the first, and 2 x $500 for more than two violations in a year.

What types of roadways does the law apply to?

Ohio’s Move Over law applies to all interstates and state highways. It can be enforced by any law-enforcement officer, including state highway patrol officers, local police, and county sheriff's deputies.

For more information on Ohio's Move Over Law and information from our partners with the Ohio Department of Transportation, click here.

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Become a part of our newest crime-fighting tool: our Home Video Camera Registry!

Be a part of crime solving by joining us in working smarter through technology! Greenhills is setting up a Video Camera Registry to solve crimes by using video systems owned by residents and businesses. We have already used homeowner's videos to solve crimes, and by setting up a data base of locations where cameras are present, we can do a better job of catching thieves and other criminals who victimize our residents. To read more about and to sign up to a be a member of the team, click here.

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Having a bad day? Be inspired by Abigail and her courageous battle. Its two minutes of your time that you will remember for a while. To meet Abigail, click here.

Staying Secure While Shopping Online

Cybercriminals are always working to steal your personal and payment information. As more and more of us shop online, criminals see this as the perfect opportunity for them to steal. By following a few key practices, you can greatly lower your chances of becoming a victim of identity theft or fraud:

Choose Trusted Online Retailers

Always shop only with trusted online retailers. That means using a retailer you already know or one that is verified through another trusted entity. If you find a new possible shop to do business with, but are unsure about its reputation, try to find reviews from trusted sources such as the Better Business Bureau. Even though an untrusted site might have the best prices, it is worth it to use a trusted online shop that is known to safeguard your contact, credit card information, and purchases.

Choose Trusted Mobile Shopping Apps

Whether you are downloading a store app to get a coupon, a deal aggregator app to comparison shop, or a reward app that ensures you get points or cash back, it is important to stick to trusted apps from known developers. Unfortunately, fake apps appear in the app stores, purporting to be from a trusted source while other apps exist to capture your data without providing the services they claim to support. You can avoid many malicious apps by downloading your apps from Google Play, Apple App Store, Microsoft Store, or another trusted platform, selectively choosing which apps to download, and making sure you carefully read the permissions and app reviews.

Secure your Device, Connectivity, and Accounts

Keep your devices up-to-date, especially those you shop and bank with – Simply updating the device that you use for conducting your online shopping is a key cybersecurity practice. By keeping the device up-to-date with current patches and software, you ensure you have the manufacturer’s latest security fixes in place.
Never use a public computer when shopping or banking – Using a public computer, like those found at libraries, can expose you to greater risk. It is best to use a trusted home device and network for anything involving financial transactions.
Never shop or conduct banking on unencrypted or public Wi-Fi – It is best to always conduct financial transactions or log on to sensitive accounts via a trusted Wi-Fi network.
Look for the lock icon on your browser - When a site has a lock icon on the browser window, or in the URL bar, it indicates that your communications with the site are encrypted. If you do not see a lock, look for “https” at the beginning of the URL, as this is the same thing as the lock. While not 100%, it reduces chances of using an insecure website for your transactions.

Check out as a Guest

By checking out as a guest, you prevent the online retailer from storing your personal account and financial information. This minimizes the amount of information that could be lost if the retailer is compromised. If you have or need an account with a retail website:

Use a strong password

Be sure to use a strong, unique password. Always use more than ten characters, with numbers, special characters, and upper- and lower-case letters. The longer the better!

Don’t save your payment information with retailers

If you have an established account with a retailer, do not store your payment information with them. In the case of an account compromise, stored payment information may allow a criminal to make purchases using your financial information.

Be Wary of Fraudulent Emails and Advertisements

Look out for suspicious or unexpected emails – A common tactic of cybercriminals year-round is to send fraudulent emails seeking to get you to click a link or open an attachment. When it comes to this time of year, they may make an email look like it contains tracking information for a shipment or a promotion for a store. The link or attachment might download malware or try to get you to enter your user credentials in a convincing, yet fraudulent login screen, so they can steal your password.
Always avoid clicking direct links in emails, and if you receive an email with a tracking number in it, head to the shipping carrier’s website in your browser and copy and paste the tracking number itself into the site.
Avoid clicking advertisements or pop-up windows of any kind – Advertisements embedded in websites and pop-ups have been known to be compromised by cybercriminals to distribute malware. It is best to avoid clicking them altogether. To close pop-ups, press Control + F4 on a Windows computer and Command + W on a Mac.______________________________________________________________

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From a Cincinnati Police Officer on scene at Fountain Square on September 6, 2018:

I don’t post on Facebook very often but today has been a bit of a rough day. I just left the scene of a mass shooting at 5/3 Bank. I arrived about 30 seconds after it was over. I was there for five hours and many other officers will be there for far longer. I watched someone’s life slow drain from their body. I heard the phone from one of the victims ring for almost two hours straight. I felt the pain of the person on the other side because I knew what they didn’t ... that their loved one was never going to answer their phone again.

I saw the determination on the officers and EMT’s faces as they went about their jobs attempting to save victims and ensure there were no more. I have 9 more hours left in my shift before I can go home. There has been a lot of divisive criticism of police, some deserved, but most is not. We police officers are human too with real emotions and faults as well. Every one of us needs to treat others the way that they would want to be treated.

I’m proud of my department and my fellow brother and sister officers today and every day that I’ve worked with them. Everyone please hug your loved ones and live life to the fullest.

Stay safe.

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The Greenhills Police Department is a member of DART, the Drug Abuse Reduction Task Force. To learn more about DART, click here. To send us a tip, click here. To send a tip directly to DART, click here.

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Now Accepting Applications:

Citizens Police Academy!

CPA 3 Graduation

The Third Graduating Class of the Greenhills Citizens Police Academy
Left to right: Larry Smith, Kristina Irby, Lieutenant Anne Ward, Mayor David Moore, Ronald Ahlers, Karen Cartier, David Cartier, Sandy Evans, Chief Neil Ferdelman, and Sergeant Tim Lukes.

On November 9, we graduated our third Greenhills Citizens Police Academy Class. Our graduates have told us this was both an interesting and fun experience. If you are interested, an application form can be found at this link, in our lobby, or call us at 513-825-2101 and we will mail one to you.

Beware of Credit Card Skimmers!

Crooks have become increasingly high-tech, and are waiting to raid your credit card accounts through the use of sophisticated "skimmers" installed at ATMs or other Point of Sale devices. For details, click here!

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You.

Yes, you.

Did you text while driving today? Ever? If you did, this message is for you. If you ever have, click here. This message may change your life. No, scratch that. This message may save your life.

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" A Professional, Progressive

Police Agency Doing the

Rights Things the Right Way"

Assessment Team Recommends Reaccreditation

The following was sent to Greenhills officers, the Municipal Manager, the Mayor, and Council:

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE

GREENHILLS, OHIO

TO: All Police Personnel

CC: Municipal Manager, Mayor, and Council

ON: December 15, 2016

RE: Reaccreditation

Dear Colleagues:

As you know, for the past three days, we underwent a rigorous inspection conducted by two assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA). Some of you met with them or they rode with you. Yesterday afternoon, the assessors met with me, Lieutenant Ward, Sergeant Lukes, Accreditation Manager Vonda Secoy, as well as the Municipal Manager and the Mayor.

During this exit briefing, they reported their findings to us that will be relayed to the full Commission. They found us in full compliance with all applicable standards, and will recommend our reaccreditation to the Commission when they next meet in March in Mobile, Alabama. Vonda Secoy and I will have to testify before the Commission at that time and answer any questions they might have.

CALEA Team Our assessors concluded that the Greenhills Police Department accomplishes excellent community outreach, and establishes significant relationships between the community and the face behind the badge. These relationships, they observed, have generated goodwill throughout the community. They further observed that our officers are committed to providing excellent customer service to our residents with a focus on continual improvement. Our assessors said they were very impressed with what they saw. They noted that we are a professional, progressive police agency that is doing the right things the right way.

The assessors told us that the police employees they spoke with were open, accommodating, and hospitable. A large component of their visit involved public outreach. They spoke to six persons by phone, and 16 persons attended our public hearing on Monday. All of the comments received were complementary and supportive of the department. These persons included residents, Citizens Police Academy alumni, school officials, and police officers and administrators from other jurisdictions. That support comes as the result of the daily interactions that each of us has with them, and it reflects the good work each of you regularly do.

The accreditation process is voluntary. There is no state or federal mandate to participate. It is designed for police departments that want to demonstrate excellence in what they do. Our Council chose this path almost a decade ago, and the process continues to promote best practices for our agency, providing a benefit to our officers, staff, and community. Outside experts arrived, observed, and collaboratively proffered suggestions that make us better. It is a commitment to continuous improvement.

Thank you for your role in the actions that set us aside as an excellent police department.

Sincerely,

Neil R. Ferdelman

Chief of Police

The CALEA Assessors are pictured above with the GPD Accreditation Team. From left: Greenhills Police Chief Neil Ferdelman, Captain Peg Schmidt-Fuller, Chief John Letteney, Lieutenant Anne Ward, and Accreditation Manager Vonda Secoy.

To learn more about CALEA in general, check the link here. To find out more our specific on-site assessment and our assessors, check the link here.

Golf Carts in Greenhills!

In 2015, the Greenhills Council passed an ordinance that will allow the operation of golf carts on our residential Golf Cart Crossing streets, with certain limitations.

The restrictions are designed to ensure the safety of everyone on our streets, including those in golf carts. They include:

Golf carts are only permitted on village streets where the speed limit is 25 MPH, which means that they cannot be driven on Winton Road (they are permitted to cross Winton).
The operator of a golf cart must be at least 16 years of age and have a valid driver’s license;
All child safety seat requirements for motor vehicles apply to children under the age of nine. Safety belts are required in the front seat for all. To see all of the items that are inspected as required by Ohio law, click here.
Golf carts must be operated in accordance with all State of Ohio traffic laws in addition to all applicable sections of the Greenhills Municipal Ordinances.

Prior to operation on our residential streets, a golf cart must be registered with the State of Ohio as a motor vehicle and inspected by the Greenhills Police Department. Once a golf cart owner is ready for an inspection and contacts us at 825-2101, an officer will come to the owner’s residence or Greenhills business to conduct the inspection. INSPECTIONS ARE PROVIDED TO GREENHILLS RESIDENTS OR BUSINESS OWNERS ONLY FOR GOLF CARTS TO BE OPERATED IN GREENHILLS. The officer will verify the owner’s valid operator’s license and proof of insurance, and visually verify all of the equipment that is required by Ohio law to be present on a registered motor vehicle. This includes seatbelts in the front of the cart, a horn, taillight and reflectors, license plate light in the rear and license plate brackets, working headlights, horn, rear view mirror, windshield, turn signals, proper steering and brakes, and windshield wipers.

If the cart does not pass inspection, the cart owner will be advised what corrections are needed to pass, and asked to re-contact the department when the corrections have been made. If the cart passes inspection, the owner will be:

Directed to come to the department the following business day where he or she will be required to pay the designated annual inspection fee (currently set at $25.00),
Issued a Golf Cart Certificate of Compliance, and
Issued a Golf Cart Safety Inspection sticker, effective for one year, for placement on the rear of the golf cart.

We are ready to conduct the inspections now and welcome your calls. Once the golf cart has been successfully inspected and issued a sticker, the operator must obey the same traffic laws that apply to all other vehicles in addition to those that specifically govern golf carts as listed above. This ordinance provides our residents with a mechanism to have some fun. We hope all who use carts on our streets enjoy themselves but ask that while doing so, they operate them safely and in compliance with the law.

CRIME ALERT!

We received the following bulletin from

the Ohio Department of Public Safety:

A foreign-based group is hiding information-stealing malware inside Christmas-themed mobile apps. The group appears to be engaged in both economically-motivated Internet Protocol (IP) theft and gathering intelligence which could be useful to governments. These hackers are seeking documents that provide classified data from software companies and government organizations. The malware takes files and screenshots before sending them to a command and control server in Germany. The group is actively recruiting mobile app developers and has been pushing out Christmas-themed mobile games loaded with malware, which connects back to the same IP address in Germany. The malware has already infected approximately 8,000 devices and is designed to steal data from the victim’s devices including contacts, SMS, call records, location information, calendar, photos, and browser history.

Beware of what you and your family members install on your smartphones!

Allow installations ONLY from trusted, authorized

sources such as I-Tunes or Android Play Store.

Greenhills Neighborhood Watch

by Lieutenant Anne Ward

The Greenhills Police Department is in the process of developing a community based block watch organization and is looking to find interested citizens who would like to participate in the program. The block-watch program will be designed to focus on matters that are important to the residents of Greenhills.

The police department will work in conjunction with block watch members to reduce crime, the fear of crime, and improve the quality of life for all of the people that live and work in the Village. If you would like to be a member of this proactive group, you can either call the Greenhills Police Department at 513-825-2101 or apply online. Apply here.

Once the program is underway, we plan to conduct training for block watch members, along with regular meetings. We hope citizens are interesting in joining us to keep our community safe!

The Greenhills Police Department, in partnership with our citizens, will excel in providing dependable and professional service to ensure the safety of our community.

Child Safety Seat Alert

The Greenhills Police Department has issued a good number of citations to motorists recently for violation of child safety seat traffic laws. Our first priority is to the safety of motorists and their small passengers. Here are Ohio's laws regarding infant and child safety:

Ohio’s children are required to use belt-positioning booster seats once they outgrow their child safety seats until they are 8 years old, unless they are at least 4 feet, 9 inches (57 inches) tall.

Ohio’s child passenger safety law requires the following:

Children less than 4 years old or 40 pounds must use a child safety seat meeting federal motor vehicle safety standards.
Children less than 8 years old, unless they are at least 4 feet, 9 inches tall must use a booster seat.
Children ages 8-15 must use a child safety seat or safety belt.

Fines will range from a minimum of $25 to a maximum of $75 per occurrence. A booster seat can be purchased for as little as $15. Don’t wait for a ticket!

The Greenhills Police Department is a member of the Hamilton County Heroin Task Force

First Responders Form Heroin Task Force

First responders from throughout Hamilton County, including representatives from the Greenhills Police Department, met today to announce the formation of a task force to combat heroin in our communities. For more on the story, click here.

Latchkey Kids . . .

40% of American children are left alone everyday. These 'latchkey children' need special help - they're uniquely susceptible to unsafe situations.

To see statistics, other information, and tips for latchkey kids, click here.

For a checklist of suggestions and a resource that you can use to help your child in case of emergency, click here.

In December 2013, the Ohio General Assembly expanded the state’s “Move Over” Law, which requires motorists to cautiously shift over one lane — or slow down if changing lanes is not possible — when passing any vehicle with flashing lights on the side of a road. Its purpose is to protect everyone who works on our roads—including thousands of law enforcement officers, emergency personnel, construction workers, tow operators and many others—and everyone who travels on them.

To learn more, click here: MoveOver.Ohio.gov.

Seat belts are the most effective safety feature ever invented and have helped save thousands of lives. Sadly, one in five Americans fail to regularly wear a seat belt when driving or riding in a motor vehicle. If you "Click It," we won't have to "Ticket" and we will continue to reduce seat belt fatalities on Greenhills' safe streets.

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