Cape Girardeau patrolwoman wins Missouri DARE Officer of the Year award

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - A Cape Girardeau police woman recently won the Missouri DARE officer of the year award.

Patrolwoman A.C. Walker served as the Cape Girardeau DARE officer for two-and-a-half years. Walker used her own experience growing up as the daughter of a drug dealer to demonstrate to school children that they can improve their lives by making the right choices.

Walker says the DARE program helps kids see police officers in a different light.

"Otherwise it’s working on an accident or if there has been an emergency in their home. It’s a scary moment so they can’t bond with that officer during that," Walker says. "With the DARE program, it’s not a scary situation. It’s a much more relaxed setting. It’s at their terms, as to how comfortable they want to get and how involved they want to be."

Even though Walker received the Missouri DARE Officer of the Year Award, she has been transferred to patrol duty. However, she is now president of the Missouri DARE Association.

Jacob McCleland, KRCU

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"Frito Bandido" bashes windows, steals snacks

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - Recent thefts in Cape Girardeau are supporting Frito Lays’ potato chips slogan, "Betcha can’t eat just one."

Three trucks were burglarized at the company’s local facility last week.

The robberies happened on two separate occasions. Police say vending machine-sized bags of Lay’s Potato chips were the only stolen items.

Windows were smashed in all three trucks.

While there are no suspects for either break-in, Cape Girardeau Police Department spokesperson Darrin Hickey feels the same person or persons may be involved.

"We don’t know anything for sure, but I think that defiantly is a possibility with the similar set of circumstances. That the entry was gained in the same way, and that the only items missing on both instances are just the chips," Hickey said.

Hickey says he can’t fully understand the motive behind either of the break-ins.

"You got to think a window is probably worth a couple of hundred bucks. And chips are worth a few dollars," Hickey said. "So they are doing more damage to the vehicle then they are in what they are actually getting from the vehicle."

Tim Filla, KRCU

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Candlelight vigil for Jacque Waller

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - Jacque Waller’s family and friends gathered for a candlelight vigil Monday night in Cape Girardeau. It’s been two months since the 39-year old mother of triplets disappeared. 

At least 100 people attended the prayer service in front of Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, where Waller worked.

Many were family, some were friends. Others had never even met Jacque Waller, like Jennifer Will from Perryville. She was helping sell bracelets, bottled water, key chains and other items to raise money for Jacque’s family.

“I heard about the case around the 5th of June and I was so touched and moved by it and I wanted to do something to help. Me and my husband own a sound system and we’ve been donating equipment for the benefit dances as well as doing the bracelet sales for her family,” Will said.

Coworker Kat Elfrink of Jackson has also been helping raise funds for Waller’s three children. She has seen an outpouring of support both in Southeast Missouri and across the globe.

“I mean it would be impressive to know she made an impact on that many people. I mean, when you’re here, you hope that you affect somebody as some point, and that you’re remembered. But at this point, at 13000 people on her Facebook page, you know, there’s a big outpouring. She is remembered for sure,” Elfrink said.

The Cape Girardeau Police Department say that Jacque Waller’s husband, Clay Waller, is a person of interest in her disappearance. He is currently in custody at the Cape Girardeau County jail on stealing and harassment charges. The charges are unrelated to Jacque’s disappearance.

Jacob McCleland, KRCU
Photo: Friends and family launch balloons at a vigil in honor of Jacque Waller.

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Cape neighborhoods prepare themselves with "Nuisance Party" law

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - School is drawing near and some Cape Girardeau residents are bracing themselves for the return of college parties.

They are hoping a new ordinance will help keep the parties in check.

Lieutenant Rick Price of the Cape Girardeau Police Department helped facilitate an informational meeting Thursday night. He hopes the law will help create better neighbors and better neighborhoods.

"They are actually living in fear, these older people that they may have a house next to, it becomes vacant somebody buys it and turns it into rental property. And then several people move-in and have wild parties, and these people can’t sleep. And hopefully this will take care of it to where the college students and the community of Cape Girardeau can live in harmony," Lt. Price said.

Among other things it allows the police to cite party hosts if parties are not dispersed after they are ordered to so.

Despite working feverishly for two year to get the ordinance passed, Dr. Linda Heitman hopes the ordinance will not be needed.

"We are hoping it does not, were hoping it will serve a purpose and it will never have to be used because people will behave appropriately and will respect the people of their neighborhoods," Dr. Heitman said.

Thursday's meeting was intended to help people better understand how to file a nuisance party complaint.

The ordinance, dubbed the "Nuisance Party Ordinance," was passed on June 20 by the City Council.

Tim Filla, KRCU

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No correlation between casino and liquor proliferation, Kinnison says

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - A Cape Girardeau Police Department study shows no correlation between the arrival of a casino and the proliferation of businesses selling liquor.

The study looked at three communities with casinos: St. Charles, Booneville and St. Joseph. It also examined Poplar Bluff, which limits the number of its liquor licenses.

Cape Girardeau Police Chief Carl Kinnison says the study’s finding were clear.

“Just because the casino opened within the three communities that we talked to, they did not see a proliferation or growth of other liquor establishments, whether it be a tavern or bar or packaged liquor,” Kinnison said.

Poplar Bluff may even lift its liquor license cap, according to Kinnison.

Councilwoman Deb Tracy requested the Cape PD conduct the study because she was concerned the casino would prompt more businesses to apply for liquor licenses.

Jacob McCleland, KRCU

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Cape PD reports few crimes over July 4 weekend

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - Cape Girardeau city police officials say that the July 4th holiday did not bring a spike in crime reports.

Between June 27 to July 5, the public filed 99 fireworks complaints to the Cape P-D. 42 of those reported violations came on Independence Day, according to police spokesperson Darin Hickey. In many cases, the individuals using fireworks were doing nothing wrong.

“I would say that’s pretty typical of a Fourth of July weekend and pretty consistent with things we’ve seen in the past,” Hickey said.

In addition, the Cape Girardeau police did not make any alcohol-related arrest during the Fourth of July holiday.

“We definitely don’t want to read too much into the numbers, but it definitely appears to be that it was a good weekend,” Hickey said.

The Cape Girardeau Fire Department also reports no major holiday-related incidents over the weekend.

Jacob McCleland, KRCU

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