Mesa Police Department Awarded 5 GOHS Grants for FY2021

 

Mesa Police Department Awarded 5 GOHS Grants for FY2021

The Mesa Police Department (MPD) Traffic Section was formally awarded six Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) grants for FY2021. The following grants will support MPD’s commitment to DUI enforcement and promoting safe roadways. The MPD received the following grant awards for FY2021:

 

·         DUI Abatement Grant Program: $50,000  (August 2020 – June 2021)

o   Support police personnel services overtime

o   DUI task force events

o   Support training and education to combat impaired driving (HGN, ARIDE, DRE Schools)

 

·         DUI Enforcement Overtime, Materials and Supplies: $123,569.00

o   Major holiday task force

o   DUI enforcement related to patrol district projects

o   Support training and education to combat impaired driving (HGN, ARIDE, DRE Schools)

o   Drug testing kits and portable breath test machines and

 

·         Selective Traffic Enforcement Overtime, Materials and Supplies: $86,218

o   Back to School enforcement

o   Speed enforcement

o   Speed detection devices

 

·         Occupant Protection Overtime, Materials & Supplies: $20,660

o   Child Safety Seat Education and Enforcement

o   Child Safety Seats/boosters

 

·         Pedestrian & Bicyclist Focus Education & Enforcement Efforts - $33,262

o   Education and enforcement of pedestrian, bicyclist, and driver violations affecting the safety of pedestrians/bicyclists

 

·         Accident Investigation Training: $9,030

o   Collision reconstruction training courses

 

 

GOHS is fundamental in the progress, direction and advancement in public safety programs throughout the state of Arizona. To accomplish set goals, GOHS awards grant funding to various law enforcement agencies, including fire departments and non-profit organizations. GOHS plays a critical role in maintaining safe roadways for its citizens.    

Mesa PD would like to extend its sincere appreciation and gratitude to the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety for their continual support. GOHS allows for the success of City of Mesa safe streets and its citizens.

For more information about GOHS: https://www.azgohs.gov/

Murder Suspect Arrested

On December 16, 2020 just after 01:21am, an off-duty officer was told by two witnesses that a man had just been stabbed in the roadway near 200 S. Mesa Dr.  The witnesses described the suspect and said that he left the area going eastbound. 

Patrol officers responded and found the victim lying on the sidewalk, heavily bleeding.  They discovered the male had been stabbed multiple times throughout his body.  He was immediately transported to the hospital, where he later died just hours after the attack. 

During the investigation, officers spoke to Ramon Polk, who was waiting with the victim when officers arrived.  Ramon told officers that he knew the victim but was not with him when he was stabbed.  He was released from the scene without further information.

Well, additional information came in the from of video surveillance.  After canvassing the area for evidence, detectives located video surveillance from a local business that put the suspect and victim together prior to the stabbing. 

The suspect in the video was wearing an identifiable jacket; one that had lighter colored sleeves.  The same jacket that Ramon had been wearing when he was contacted earlier by officers. 

After realizing the murder suspect was Ramon, Detectives located him in an alleyway close to the crime scene. 

Ramon was arrested and confessed to Detectives that he did stab the victim.  He said that the victim threw a can of beer at his wife, so he followed him to scare him off.

Ramon was booked into jail for one count of 2^nd Degree Murder (ARS 13-1104.A2).