By John Howell

Batesville Police Department safety checks during the weekend resulted in eight citations for no child restraint, six for no insurance and 10 for driving with no license or suspended license, Batesville Deputy Police Chief Jimmy McCloud said.

The safety checks are part of increased traffic safety enforcement BPD began in the spring. 

Officers also issued “numerous” tickets for speeding, he said.

Otherwise McCloud reported a quiet weekend with no house, commercial building or vehicle burglaries reported.

Traffic safety checks are among several programs that attempt to prevent or avoid more serious emergencies, the deputy chief said.

Another is an elderly call-in program for people who live alone, McCloud said. To participate, a person needs only to call the police dispatcher at 563-5653 and provide general information that includes emergency contact names and numbers of a friend and/or family members.

Each day, the participant is asked to call the police dispatcher to “check in,” McCloud said. If the police dispatcher has not received a call from the participant by noon, the dispatcher will call the participant to make sure the participant is all right. If the dispatcher gets no answer, she will contact the friend or family member, according to the deputy police chief.

Officers also conduct vacation checks of homes and escorts for business people making bank deposits, McCloud said. 

When residents plan to be absent from their homes, a call alerting the police department will bring increased surveillance.

“As call volume allows we will attempt to check your house two times a day,” he said.

“We do a lot of bank escorts,” he said. The deputy chief said that he encourages any business making a trip to the bank to call for an escort.

Dispatchers have information about the BPD preventive services. Call 563-5653 for more information, McCloud said.