Payson Police Chief Ron Tischer has withstood plenty of Wisconsin winters and tornadoes, but nothing scared him like last yearâs Bush Fire.
Tischer, who moved to Payson in 2019, said he was not prepared for the wildfires found in Arizona.
Hoping to stay one step ahead, and to prepare for the upcoming fire season, the Payson Police Department recently held an evacuation drill in a northwest Payson neighborhood.
Officers and police volunteers visited 330 homes in the area off Vista and Airport roads Friday, alerting residents to a wildfire burning in from the west. While it was only a drill, Tischer said officers treated it as if it was the real thing. Officers were not given notice the drill was happening and were called on Friday morning with the use of the countyâs Everbridge notification system.
During the past year, there have been many national news reports about mental health issues climbing due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its restrictions. The
Roundup, as part of its series on law enforcement and mental health, asked Payson Police Chief Ron Tischer and Gila County Sheriff Adam Shepherd, if their offices experienced more encounters because of mental health issues the past year.
Tischer and Shepherd agree encounters between their officers and those suffering with mental illness or mental health issues have increased.
âAbsolutely, the pandemic has played a large part in people having both short-term and long-term mental health issues,â Tischer said. âIt has also affected all ages. Being locked down for most of the past year in isolation has created some unique issues that we havenât encountered before. The pandemic has exacerbated the problems with those in our community that already had issues with mental health. The inability for some to get in-pe
During the past year, there have been many national news reports about mental health issues climbing due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its restrictions. The
Roundup, as part of its series on law enforcement and mental health, asked Payson Police Chief Ron Tischer and Gila County Sheriff Adam Shepherd, if their offices experienced more encounters because of mental health issues the past year.
Tischer and Shepherd agree encounters between their officers and those suffering with mental illness or mental health issues have increased.
âAbsolutely, the pandemic has played a large part in people having both short-term and long-term mental health issues,â Tischer said. âIt has also affected all ages. Being locked down for most of the past year in isolation has created some unique issues that we havenât encountered before. The pandemic has exacerbated the problems with those in our community that already had issues with mental health. The inability for some to get in-pe
In November, Payson Police Chief Ron Tischer said they saw an increase in vehicle burglaries around town.
But these werenât the normal vehicle burglaries police have seen in years past where thieves would take items from unlocked vehicles, primarily at homes.
Surveillance footage gathered from several of the scenes showed what police believe is the same man smashing vehicle windows and then grabbing whatever items of value he could find. The break-ins happened at hotels, including Motel 6, Quality Inn, Budget Inn and twice at Majestic Mountain Inn, said Det. Ben Keith.
âIn multiple surveillance videos, the male suspect was seen wearing the same clothing while smashing the windows of the victimâs vehicles,â Tischer said. âHe would then grab what he could and depart the scene in the same vehicle each time.â
In November, Payson Police Chief Ron Tischer said they saw an increase in vehicle burglaries around town.
But these werenât the normal vehicle burglaries police have seen in years past where thieves would take items from unlocked vehicles, primarily at homes.
Surveillance footage gathered from several of the scenes showed what police believe is the same man smashing vehicle windows and then grabbing whatever items of value he could find. The break-ins happened at hotels, including Motel 6, Quality Inn, Budget Inn and twice at Majestic Mountain Inn, said Det. Ben Keith.
âIn multiple surveillance videos, the male suspect was seen wearing the same clothing while smashing the windows of the victimâs vehicles,â Tischer said. âHe would then grab what he could and depart the scene in the same vehicle each time.â