Bobby Brown named Joplin Police Department Officer of the Month

(From the Joplin Police Department)

Officer of the Month January 2018

On January 30, 2018, Officer Bobby Brown and K-9 Pax were assigned to weekly K-9 training. During the course of this training, Officer Brown heard a call over the radio that indicated a male had fled from Office Depot with a stolen computer. The suspect was last seen running to a wooded area and a clothing description was given out. The male was identified as a suspect from several previous larcenies throughout the City of Joplin and he was also a suspect in a recent burglary that detectives had charges on. The caller also reported that the suspect had run through Competitors Warehouse and had dropped a knife he had been carrying. When Officer Brown and K-9 Pax arrived on scene, they attempted a track to locate the suspect, without success. Patrol units cleared the scene and returned to normal duties.

Despite patrol units clearing the scene to handle other in-progress calls, Officer Brown remained in the area in hopes of locating the suspect. Officer Brown conducted several patrols in the area and began watching areas the suspect could emerge from the wooded area.

Approximately one hour after the initial call had come out, Officer Brown located the suspect near 24th and Patterson emerging from a wooded area. As Officer Brown got out of his patrol car to contact the suspect, he told the suspect to stop. At this time, the suspect ignored all the commands Officer Brown was giving and attempted to flee. Officer Brown then gave the suspect more commands to stop or a Police K-9 would be released. The suspect then began to run in the opposite direction to avoid apprehension. Based on the facts that the suspect was wanted on felony burglary charges, he had shown that he had, at one time, been armed with a knife and was actively fleeing to another wooded area that would cause safety concerns for officers if allowed to enter the wooded area, K-9 Pax was released. K-9 Pax was able to close the distance and successfully apprehend the suspect.

Officer Brown because of your professionalism, persistence and your commitment to the City of Joplin, Zachary Vogel was apprehended for several outstanding charges including burglary. This level of professionalism is only one example of your dedication you have for the police department and the citizens of Joplin.

Respectfully,

Matthew Stewart
Chief of Police