K2 Radio News: Flash Briefing For June 13th, 2018 – Morning

THIS IS THE NEWS THE ENTIRE CITY HAS BEEN WAITING TO HEAR FOR OVER A MONTH NOW.

AFTER A VIOLENT SHOOTOUT, HOVERING NEAR DEATH FOR DAYS, AND A MONTH OF AGONIZING SURGERIES, OFFICER JACOB CARLSON HAS BEEN RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL.
CASPER POLICE CHIEF KEITH MCPHEETERS TOLD CITY COUNCIL AT A WORK SESSION ABOUT HIS RECOVERY.
CARLSON WAS GRAVELY WOUNDED IN A SHOOTOUT ON MAY 6TH DURING WHICH THE GUNMAN WAS KILLED, AND THE CITY OF CASPER HAS RALLIED BEHIND HIM AND HIS FAMILY AS HE RECOVERED.

MCPHEETERS SAID CARLSON AND THE DEPARTMENT ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE COMMUNITY'S SUPPORT, AND FOR ENCOURAGEMENT NATIONWIDE AND EVEN AS FAR AWAY AS AUSTRALIA.

LIKEWISE, THE DEPARTMENT SAID IN A PREPARED STATEMENT THAT IT THANKS THE STAFF AND MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS AT WYOMING MEDICAL CENTER.

THE CARLSON FAMILY STILL HAS FACES A LONG RECOVERY AND REQUESTS THEIR PRIVACY AS JAKE CONTINUES THE HEALING PROCESS.

MCPHEETERS SAID THE WYOMING DIVISION OF CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION CONTINUES TO INVESTIGATE WHAT HE CALLED A COMPLEX MATTER, AND WOULD NOT SPECULATE WHEN THE DCI'S WORK WOULD BE FINISHED.
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THE NATRONA COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS BEEN GRAPPLING WITH BULLYING AND HARASSMENT FOR YEARS, AND THE DISTRICT'S BOARD WANTED TO HEAR FROM THOSE WHO DEAL WITH IT DAILY.

MONDAY, SCHOOL BOARD TRUSTEE DANA HOWIE INVITED PRINCIPALS, COUNSELORS AND OTHER OFFICIALS TO HEAR THEIR STORIES AND OFFER SUGGESTIONS AS THE BOARD DEVELOPS POLICIES FOR THIS PERSISTENT PROBLEM.

TRUSTEES AND SCHOOL OFFICIALS AGREED THE DISTRICT NEEDS TO CONSISTENTLY DEFINE BULLYING AND HARASSMENT, AND OFFER MORE TRAINING.

TOM ERNST, THE DISTRICT'S DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES, SAID THE DISTRICT HAS A ONCE-A-YEAR PROGRAM, BUT IT SHOULD BE OFFERED MORE OFTEN.

A COUPLE OF THE SCHOOL OFFICIALS PRAISED THE TIP LINE APP, CALLED SAFE2TELL WYOMING, FOR PEOPLE TO CONFIDENTIALLY REPORT BULLYING AND THOSE WHO MAY BE CONSIDERING SUICIDE.

STEVE ELLBOGEN, PRINCIPAL OF DEAN MORGAN MIDDLE SCHOOL, SAID HIS SCHOOL DEVELOPED WRITTEN GUIDELINES THAT IDENTIFY DIFFERENT LEVELS OF HARASSMENT INCLUDING RACISM AND SEXTING -- AND THE STUDENTS ARE MADE VERY AWARE OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF VIOLATING THEM.

AND TRUSTEE TONI BILLINGS ADDED THE ADVENT OF TECHNOLOGY HAS AGGRAVATED CONFLICTS AND BULLYING TO LEVELS UNHEARD OF A DOZEN YEARS AGO.
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THE BADGER CREEK FIRE HAS BURNED 2,300 ACRES AFTER IT MADE A LARGE, WIND-DRIVEN RUN MONDAY IN SOUTHERN ALBANY COUNTY ON THE MEDICINE BOW NATIONAL FOREST .

THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY’S FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY HAS AUTHORIZED THE USE OF FEDERAL FUNDS TO HELP WITH FIREFIGHTING COSTS FOR THE FIRE.

THE FIRE BURNED SIX MILES TO THE EAST FROM ITS ORIGIN AND HAS PROMPTED COUNTY OFFICIALS TO ISSUE ADDITIONAL EVACUATION NOTICES FOR THE AREA ALONG HIGHWAY 10 FROM WOODS LANDING TO THE COLORADO STATE LINE, ACCORDING TO THE FOREST SERVICE. THE COMMUNITIES OF WOODS LANDING, NEW JELM AND JELM ARE BEING EVACUATED BY ALBANY COUNTY.

THE FOREST SERVICE SAYS THE OVERALL STRATEGY IS FULL SUPPRESSION OF THE FIRE, BY ENGAGING IN LOCATIONS WITH THE HIGHEST PROBABILITY OF SUCCESS. DUE TO THE RAPID GROWTH OF THE FIRE AND THE EMERGENCY SITUATION, EFFORTS CONTINUE TO BE FOCUSED ON EVACUATION, PUBLIC SAFETY AND FIRE ASSESSMENT.

AT THIS TIME THERE IS NO CONFIRMATION THAT STRUCTURES HAVE BEEN BURNED OR DESTROYED.

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THE CASPER POLICE DEPARTMENT ISN'T FAR FROM SELECTING A VENDOR FOR BODY-WORN CAMERAS, WHICH THE DEPARTMENT PLANS TO ISSUE TO OFFICERS AS PART OF A LARGER EFFORT TO IMPROVE ITS ABILITY TO CAPTURE AUDIO AND VIDEO RECORDINGS.

TEN VENDORS SUBMITTED BIDS TO PROVIDE THE CAMERAS, FOLLOWING THE DEPARTMENT'S REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. THE DEPARTMENT MAY SELECT A VENDOR NEXT WEEK. THAT'S ACCORDING TO SCOTT HOFFMAN, THE DEPARTMENT'S POLICE TECHNOLOGIES MANAGER.

THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN TESTING BODY-WORN CAMERAS FROM THREE VENDORS SINCE MAY, AND WRAPPED UP THAT PHASE LAST WEEK.

HOFFMAN SAYS THE DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING AT UPGRADING VIDEO CAMERAS IN POLICE INTERVIEW ROOMS AS WELL AS IN-CAR VIDEO SYSTEMS, IN ADDITION TO ISSUING BODY-WORN CAMERAS.

ADVOCATES FOR BODY-WORN CAMERAS SAY THE TECHNOLOGY WILL HELP KEEP OFFICERS AND PRIVATE CITIZENS ACCOUNTABLE. HOFFMAN AGREES.
THE PRICE TAG FOR THE CASPER POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ISSUE BODY-WORN CAMERAS TO OFFICERS IS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF $400,000. WHEN UPGRADES FOR INTERVIEW ROOM CAMERAS AND IN-CAR VIDEO SYSTEMS ARE INCLUDED, THE FIGURE RISES TO $1.3 MILLION.

HOFFMAN SAYS A DEFINITE TIMELINE FOR THE ISSUANCE OF BODY-WORN CAMERAS TO CASPER POLICE OFFICERS HAS NOT BEEN ESTABLISHED.