Law of the Month:  December 2011 

Inattentive Driving

Inattentive driving is one of the leading causes of automobile crashes.  Basically inattentive driving means a driver is driving distracted.  We have all seen distracted drivers.  People driving while talking on a cell phone, texting, reading a book, putting make up on, drinking coffee, etc.  When we see these distracted drivers we immediately realize the dangers they impose.

The Wisconsin State Statute for Inattentive Driving (SS 346.89) reads,”No person while driving a motor vehicle shall be so engaged or occupied as to interfere with the safe driving of such vehicle.”  This definition does not list one thing or a group of things that are illegal to engage in while driving because the list of distractions that can cause one to drive inattentively is endless.  A citation for inattentive driving can cost you from $101.40 to $178.40 and 4 points on your driving record.   

Obeying this law is especially important for drivers now that the winter months have arrived.  When road conditions become poor, it is important that drivers are able to fully concentrate on the roadway.  Treacherous road conditions, plus added distractions are a recipe for a devastating crash.

With the numerous electronic devices available in today’s society, we all must refrain from using them while driving to help ensure that the City of Fond du Lac remains a safe place to live, learn, work and play!

Officer Nate Rucker #15

Jason J. Wolford

Birthday: November 24, 1980

Race: White

Height: 5’ 7” Weight: 160

Hair: Brown

Eyes: Hazel (glasses)

Jason J. Wolford was released from prison on October 25, 2011 after serving 9 years for 1st Degree Sexual Assault of a Child and 3rd Degree Sexual Assault. Wolford was convicted of sexually assaulting 12- year-old and 14-year-old female acquaintances.  Wolford has been living at 457 Thomas Street since his release from prison. He will be moving to 222 North Brooke Street on or about December 2, 2011.  

Special conditions of Jason J. Wolford’s supervised release:

1)   No contact with victim, no unsupervised contact with minors, no presence in taverns, bars, or liquor stores, and no use of alcohol or illegal drugs.

2)   Comply with all rules of high risk sex offender supervision and cooperate with GPS monitoring.

3)   Face-to-face contact with law enforcement as required, lifetime registration with Wisconsin Sex Offender Registration Program.

Contact Information:

Fond du Lac Police Department: Emergency Dial 911 - Non Emergency: 322-3700

Division of Community Corrections: 929-2983

Information on the Internet:     http://www.fdlpolice.com 
http://offender.doc.state.wi.us/public/

Elijah G. Thomas

Birthday: August 2, 1982

Race: White

Height: 5’ 8” Weight: 161

Hair: Brown

Eyes: Blue

Elijah G. Thomas was released back into the community on September 6, 2011 after serving 5 years in prison for 3rd degree sexual assault and disorderly conduct. Thomas was convicted of sexually assaulting 13- and 14-year-old female acquaintances. Thomas was also convicted of disorderly conduct after exposing himself in public. Thomas has been living at 457 Thomas Street since his release from prison. He will be moving to 231 West Follett Street on or about December 2, 2011.  

Special conditions of Elijah G. Thomas’s supervised release:

1)   No contact with victim, no unsupervised contact with minors, no presence in taverns, bars, or liquor stores, and no use of alcohol or illegal drugs.

2)   Comply with all rules of high risk sex offender supervision and cooperate with GPS monitoring.

3)   Face-to-face contact with law enforcement as required, lifetime registration with Wisconsin Sex Offender Registration Program.

Elijah G. Thomaswill be required to wear a GPS monitoring bracelet. 
   

Contact Information:

Fond du Lac Police Department: Emergency Dial 911 - Non Emergency: 322-3700

Division of Community Corrections: 929-2983

Information on the Internet:    
http://www.fdlpolice.com
http://offender.doc.state.wi.us/public/

Online Holiday Shopping Security Tips 

As the holiday season draws near, an increasing number of people will be doing their shopping in cyber space. Last year, online shopping expenditures in the U.S. reached a record $32.6 billion for the November-December period – marking a 12% jump from 2009. In fact, an estimated $1 billon was spent online in a single day--Cyber Monday 2010 (the Monday following Black Friday), according to comScore.* With the increased volume of online shopping, it's important that consumers understand the potential security risks and know how to protect themselves and their information.

Below are some tips to facilitate a more secure online shopping experience:

1. Secure your computer. Keep your operating system and application software updated/patched. Be sure to check that your anti-virus/anti-spyware software is running and receiving automatic updates. If you haven’t already done so, confirm that your firewall is enabled.
    
2. Shop with trusted merchants. Limit your online shopping to merchants you know and trust. If you have questions about a merchant check with the Better Business Bureau or the Federal Trade Commission. Confirm the online seller's physical address and phone number in case you have questions or problems.
   
   
3. Secure your online transactions. Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is a technology to encrypt the credit card information that you send over the Internet. If you submit your financial information through an organization's website, be sure to look for indicators that the site is secure. Look for the browser's status bar and be sure “https” appears in the website’s address bar before making an online purchase. The "s" stands for "secure” and indicates that communication with the webpage is encrypted.
   
   
4. Use strong passwords. If you need to create an account using a password with the merchant, be sure to create a strong password. Use at least eight characters, with numbers, special characters, and upper and lower case letters. Don’t use the same passwords for online shopping websites that you use for any other account. Never share your login and/or password.
   
   
5. Avoid scams and fraud. Don’t ever give your financial information or personal information over e-mail, text or by phone. Be aware of unsolicited communications purporting to represent charities. Always think before you click on e-mails you receive asking for donations and contact the organization directly to verify the request.
   
   
6. Do not use public computers or public wireless to conduct transactions. Do not use public computers or public wireless for your online shopping. Public computers may contain malicious software that steals your credit card information when you place your order. Criminals may be monitoring public wireless networks for credit card numbers and other confidential information.
   
   
7. Ignore pop-up messages. Set your browser to block pop-up messages. If you get an e-mail or pop-up message that asks for your financial information while you’re browsing, don't reply or follow the link. Legitimate companies won’t ask for financial information in a pop-up message. Close out of the pop-up message by closing out of the browser.
   
   
8. Pay by credit card. Pay by credit card rather than debit card, as credit cards are protected by the Fair Credit Billing Actand may reduce your liability if your information was used improperly.
   
   
9. Keep a paper trail. Print or save records of your online transactions, including the product description and price, the online receipt, and the e-mails you send and receive from the seller. Carefully review your credit card statements as soon as you receive them to confirm that all charges are legitimate. Contact your credit card company immediately if you have unauthorized charges on your account.
   
   
10. Review privacy policies. Review the privacy policy for the website/merchant you are visiting. Know what information the merchant is collecting about you, how it will be stored, how it will be used, and if it will be shared or sold to others. 
    
    What to do if you encounter problems with an online shopping site:

• Contact the seller or site operator directly. If those attempts are not successful, you may wish to contact the following entities:

The Attorney General's office in your state

Your county or state consumer protection agency

The Better Business Bureau at: www.bbb.org

The Federal Trade Commission at: www.ftc.gov

Source: MS-ISAC (29November 2011)

Snow Removal:  Lets All Be Good Neighbors

It is only a matter of time before the snow begins to fly.  The City of Fond du Lac encourages the citizens of our City to be good neighbors during these winter months.   It is not only important for sidewalks to be shoveled and cleared of ice, it is the law.   Many of our Citizens rely on the sidewalks as their main thoroughfares of travel. Sidewalks that are not shoveled and covered with ice make it difficult and dangerous for everyone that uses them, especially the elderly and handicapped.
 

Fond du Lac City Ordinance 8.22 states:                                                      
The owner or occupant or person in charge of each lot or part of lot within the City fronting or abutting on a sidewalk shall, within 24 hours after the cessation of each snowfall, remove all ice and snow which may have fallen or accumulated upon the sidewalk under his/her care, including cross walks and handicapped accessibility ramps if said property is a corner lot. When ice is so formed upon any sidewalk that it cannot be removed, such person shall keep the same sprinkled with sand, salt or other abrasives in a manner as to prevent the sidewalk from being dangerous for pedestrian travel, and as soon as weather permits, cause such sidewalk to be thoroughly cleaned.

Those residents or businesses that fail to comply with this ordinance can receive a fine of $208.50 for first offense violations with increased penalties for second and subsequent violations.  In addition, the city will hire a contractor to clear the snow/ice from those sidewalks not in compliance with the ordinance and will bill the property owner on their tax assessment.

To report violations of the snow removal ordinance, residents can go the City of Fond du Lac web site at www.ci.fond-du-lac.wi.us and click on the request partner link or call 322-3470.    

In addition to clearing sidewalks of snow and ice, residents are reminded that it is illegal to blow or push snow into the street.  Persons violating this ordinance can also be fined $208.50 for first offense violations with increased penalties for second and subsequent violations.

Winter ordinance parking remains in effect until March 15.  Those violating the winter parking restrictions can receive a $20.00 parking ticket.  

The winter parking restriction ordinance is based on a commonly used odd-even concept.

      On even calendar days, residents may only park on the even address side of the street. On odd calendar days, parking is allowed only on the odd side.

      City officials say the rules will be enforced daily from 8 p.m. until 8 a.m. the following day. The delineation of odd or even is based upon the date at 8 p.m. For instance, on December 21 at 8 p.m., overnight parking will only be allowed on the odd address side of the street until 8 a.m. the following day.

      The winter parking rules override all other on-street parking restrictions in place on any street where parking is now allowed.

For example, if one side of your street is posted no parking, that rule will be relaxed during the winter parking period to utilize odd-even parking along both sides of the street. If no parking is allowed on either side of your street, the winter parking rules will not be applicable.

Let's all do our part in being a good neighbor by keeping our sidewalks clear of snow and ice, not blowing or pushing snow into the street and abiding by the winter parking restrictions.  

Holiday Safety Tips

With the Holiday Season upon us, the City of Fond du Lac Police Department would like to take this opportunity to offer some safety tips to help keep this festive time of the year safe for all. 

When out shopping, stay alert and be aware of your surroundings.  If possible, shop with another; there is safety in numbers.  Try to park in well lit areas of mall and store parking lots, making sure that vehicle doors are locked.  Shopping bags and gift purchases should be hidden in the trunk of the car or covered with a blanket or jacket.   Avoid carrying large amounts of cash and pay with a check or credit card when possible.  Do not leave a purse unattended in a shopping cart.  Make sure to monitor your credit card bills looking for any unauthorized purchases.  If shopping with young children teach them to go to a store clerk or security guard in the event you become separated.  

If your Holiday plans include travel, make sure to take some precautions so your home does not become a target of opportunity.  By setting an automatic timer for your lights, you give the appearance that the house is occupied.  Ask a neighbor or friend to watch your home, shovel snow and park in the driveway from time to time.  Request that mail and newspaper delivery be stopped while you are gone; when these items pile up, it is a sure sign that you are gone. 

Be a good  neighbor; watch for any suspicious vehicles or persons that may be casing a neighborhood.  Many homeowners work hard on outside holiday displays; keep an eye on your neighborhoods for those who may try to steal or vandalize these displays.

The holiday season is a time of celebration and festive gatherings that oftentimes involve consumption of alcohol.  Unfortunately, this is also one of the deadliest times of the year for alcohol-related crashes.  The message is simple, if you are going to drink, don’t drive.  Establish a designated driver prior to attending a party or gathering.  Many establishments offer free soft drinks to a designated driver.  If hosting a party, be responsible when serving alcohol to your friends and acquaintances. 

The  holidays are a joyous time of year; let's all do our part to help keep this a safe holiday season!