The Way I See It!

Cudahy Domestic Violence Turns To a Gas Scare

Posted by Randy Hollenbeck on May 23, 2009

Cudahy, Crime, Police, Safety, Thank You, Crime Alert, Domestic Violence

Natural gas scare leads to Cudahy evacuation

Police in Cudahy evacuated a neighborhood block Thursday after worrying that a man sabotaged his house after a domestic violence incident, authorities said Friday morning.

Police went to the house to arrest the husband about 4:40 p.m. and learned the 27-year-old man had locked himself in the house and officers could smell a strong natural gas odor, according to a news release.

Read Full News Story Here

From a reader’s perspective that lives near there.

Hi Randy-

Thursday evening someone locked themselves in their home, and filled it with natural gas, about a block from my house. 

After I finished work I came home to find out I could not go to my home, but they let me walk to my house to wake up my son, of course he wouldn't leave, he wanted to sleep and work third shift.

So as I left, I saw my neighbors all outside, the police had told them to STAY in their houses, but they told me to get away right away. 

So I ended up not being able to get back until around 8PM, luckily I spent time with friends, but my concern is what if something would have happened, and their were people in the condo's behind the home.  I appreciate the safety for my life, but what about the safety of the rest? 

I also had heard that the person in the home was threatening to blow up the home.  I am grateful I was not their should something have happened, but I still have concerns for the rest of the neighborhood.  Also, what is a plan should this happen again?

I hope everything is going well for you.

Name with held

Dear Reader, as with anything, mistakes happen, things fall through the cracks and I think lessons are learned.  I am sure corrective measures will be taken so that doesn’t happen in the future.  Many of the Cudahy’s finest police officers and Cudahy’s officials read this blog and have now been alerted to the situation.

Please Note - I slightly modified the address to only include the block number not the exact address

The “Incident Briefing” from Cudahy Chief of Police Thomas D. Poellot

Lt. Chris Kraker has provided me with the following briefing:

On May 21, 2009, at approximately 1638 hours, Cudahy Police Department ESD (Dispatch) received a call from a 26 year old female resident of Cudahy who indicated that her husband, who earlier in the day had beaten her up, had now returned to their residence.  CPD officers had investigated the Domestic Violence Battery complaint earlier in the day (0844 hours), at which time the husband (suspect) had fled from the location prior to officer’s arrival.  It was CPD’s intention to arrest the husband for DV-Battery when he was located.

At 1638 hours, the wife indicated that her husband had returned to the residence.  CPD officers responded to the location intent on arresting the husband.  Upon officers arrival it was determined that the husband had locked himself in the residence.  A strong natural gas smell was also evident, apparently emanating from the couples residence.  It was thought that the husband had intentionally released gas from an unknown source within the residence.  Cudahy Police and Fire personnel were able to shut off the residences gas source from outside the home.

We Energies was also summoned to a staging area in proximity to the residence.

CPD Officers set up tactically outside of the residence, and ultimately performed a tactical forced entry into the residence.  The 27 year old suspect/husband was located hiding in the attic of the premise, house on the 2700 Block of E. Carpenter Ave.  He was taken into custody without incident.  Charges of DV-Battery, Obstructing, and Recklessly Endangering Safety are being considered.

Some critical tactical considerations to the successful resolution of this incident are articulated below.

1.    During our initial response to this incident there was a concern whether our suspect was still located within the residence, as he was making phone calls to family members, and sending text messages, indicating that he had fled on foot prior to Officers arrival.  The suspect was utilizing his cell phone to communicate this information.  Detective Joe Zblewski initiated a GPS track of the suspects cell phone by initiating an AT&T Exigent Circumstances Form (which is faxed to AT&T), which is a formal request to AT&T to track the location of the cell phone being used by our suspect.  This process uses triangulation of cell towers signals, and can determine the location of cell calls being made from a specific cell phone.  We received communication from AT&T, through this process, that the calls being made from our suspect were originating from within 2700 block of E. Carpenter Ave.

2.   When CPD Tactical Officers initiated the forced entry into the house on the 2700 Block of Carpenter Ave., and then search the entire premise without finding the suspect; a determination was made that the suspect was probably hiding within the attic of the residence.  Entry into the attic of any location is inherently dangerous.  The only entry possible into this residences attic was through a 24inch X 24inch opening located within an upstairs closet.  Detective Glen Haase was able to utilize some of our latest technology to ensure a safe entry into the attic by Tactical Team members.  Detective Haase had (in 2008) applied for, and ultimately was awarded, a grant through Homeland Security for the acquisition of a portable camera/imaging device with thermal imaging capabilities.  This camera (for lack of a better term) is mounted upon an extension pole, and has a display screen mounted for the user to “see” safely into hidden or obscure locations, which are inherently dangerous to officers.  On this occasion, Detective Haase was able to utilize this device to “view” the immediate area surrounding the attic entry portal, prior to Tactical Officers climbing up into the attic.  The successful application of this technology was critical to the successful resolution of this incident, and the safety of our officers.

3.   The last consideration, which I feel was integral to this successful incident resolution had to do with the manpower present and on-duty at the time of this event.  Detective’s Glen Haase and Joe Zblewski, Officer’s Tom Livesey, Brian Olson, and Tony Andrews are all CPD Tactical Officers, and were all working on this time and date.  From the initial response to the incident, to the planning of potential strategies, and finally the methodology used to successfully resolve the incident; can be directly attributed to a highly trained and highly skilled core group of Tactical  personnel, who on this date represented this department, and our citizens, with the highest level of professionalism. 

 Sincerely,

Thomas D. Poellot, Chief of Police

Cudahy Police Department

I am very grateful that the situation was resolved so well and no lives were lost.  I wish the domestic violence had never happened in the first place.  Please, as I have stated in the past post titled “Keira Knightley In an Anti-Domestic Violence Commercial” get help if domestic violence is happening to you or someone you know.

Thank you to the Cudahy Police Department for your vigilance as this could have escalated into a situation of grave circumstances and for keeping the public safe.