Recent Yreka PD patrol arrests highlight importance and need for continued pro-active policing
YREKA, Calif., — Several recent arrests in the small Siskiyou County city of Yreka are helping to highlight the need for, and importance of, pro-active policing – with arrests over the last week for drug sales and use, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, catalytic converter thefts and tampering with vehicles, and other crimes.
As the county seat of Siskiyou County and located along the I-5 corridor, Yreka has a population of less than 8,000 and only covers a total area of about ten square miles, with large portions of it being undeveloped land. Yet the small police department of barely a dozen sworn officers and detectives sees its fair share of crime, say department officials.
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— On February 10, Officer Ruiz contacted and subsequently arrested two subjects, Jacob McCollum and Katie Martinez on a variety of drug charges after they were found to be in possession of more than eight grams of heroin, a disassembled non-operational firearm, and drug paraphernalia.
They were later booked into jail on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance, possession of controlled substance for sales, and possession of a smoking device.
— Later the same day, Officer Elsasser was on routine patrol when he spotted a man, later identified as Willie Hayes, under a car using a Sawzall to remove the vehicle’s catalytic converter.
During his subsequent investigation, Elsasser determined Hayes had stolen at least four catalytic converters, with total damage estimated at nearly $8,000.
Hayes was ultimately arrested and booked into jail on suspicion of felony vandalism, disorderly conduct, grand theft, and tampering with a vehicle.
— In the early morning hours of Feb. 12, Officer Smith was conducting routine patrol and overnight security checks of area businesses and properties when he observed an individual pull in the parking lot of a closed business with blacked-out lights.
Surveilling the suspicious activity, Smith watched as a man, later identified as parolee Tulsa Gregg, began walking among and tampering with vehicles parked at the location.
After contacting Gregg, the officer arrested him for violation of parole, tampering with a vehicle, possession of a smoking device, and disorderly conduct.
— Later the same evening, Officer Smith conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle with altered registration tags and contacted the driver, Joshua Reece. Smith quickly determined Reece was driving with a license that had been suspended for DUI. He also determined Reece had plates from another vehicle attached to his vehicle and that the plates had falsified registration tags.
During a subsequent search, Smith located and seized nearly two dozen glass smoking pipes and unlawfully possessed ammunition, and Reese was later booked into jail on suspicion of possession of a narcotics-related smoking devices, driving with a suspended license, being a felon in possession of ammunition, unlawful display of false registration tags, and driving while suspended for DUI.
“I am so proud to be the leader of such an amazing group of dedicated men and women who live to serve the citizens and visitors of Yreka,” Yreka Police Chief Mark Gilman has said of his department and its officers, adding, “We are committed to making Yreka a safe place to live, work and play.”
“On behalf of the 12 sworn police officers, 13 civilian and two volunteers of the Yreka Police Department, we would like to say thank you for the tremendous support shown by such a great community,” he continued.
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Trevor Montgomery, 51, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and operates Riverside County News Source (RCNS) and Shasta County News Source (SCNS), which act as stringer-organizations for other mainstream media organizations throughout the two regions they serve.
Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; the Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County; and Mountain Echo in Shasta County. He is also a regular contributor to Thin Blue Line TV and Law Enforcement News Network and has had his stories featured on news stations throughout the Southern California and North State regions.
Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)
During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.
Trevor has been married for more than 30 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 18 grandchildren.