Longboat Key Cops Corner: I'm fine . . . really

Sept. 1

No help required

3:05 p.m., Off the key near 4500 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Boating call: A concern about a paddleboarder possibly in distress prompted the police’s marine patrol officer to respond. Once nearby, the officer determined the paddleboarder was not in trouble and confirmed his assessment with a quick conversation. The officer did escort the paddleboarder to shore as a thunderstorm was approaching.

Sept. 5

Middle of the road

8:34 a.m., 4400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic: A truck driver who parked his tractor-trailer in the center turn lane of Gulf of Mexico Drive was given a choice: move the rig from its illegal parking place immediately or be cited for improper parking. The trucker left the area.

Sept. 6

Stern words

1 p.m., 1100 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Suspicious circumstance: An officer was sent to a residential area to check out a black box with the words “Poisonous Material’’ printed on it. The officer found the box on the beach and determined it was part of a vehicle battery and not harmful.

Sept. 7

On the side of the road

11:32 a.m., 1200 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic: Police encountered a broken-down vehicle completely blocking the bike lane and very close to the main travel lane. The officer who found the vehicle parked behind it and activated the car’s emergency lights until a tow truck arrived to remove it.

Making waves

12:16 p.m., Off the key near Jewfish Key

Boating violation: The department’s marine patrol officer issued a verbal warning and delivered some instruction to the operator of a boat creating a wake in a slow-speed zone.

Protect and serve

8:33 p.m., 3400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Public service: An officer responded to a public service call to find a driver who said the battery in her car had died. The driver locked up the car and was given a ride home. She said she would notify a towing service in the morning.

Sept. 8

Hello, hello?

10 a.m., 5200 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Found property. While on patrol, an officer spotted what looked like a cell phone in the northbound lane. Upon further review, it was a phone with a smashed face, obviously run over by a car. The officer brought the phone back to the station, along with its black impact case, and locked it away for safe keeping.

Just add water

10:28 a.m., 1100 block of Bogey Lane

Suspicious circumstance: Police were alerted to a possible intruder in a pool enclosure by homeowners monitoring security camera with a smartphone app while on vacation. When police arrived, they found no one there, but did spot a garden hose pouring water into the pool. The officer spoke with a neighbor who said he heard the pool pump sucking air and let himself in to add water to the pool. The property owners said they didn’t recognize the man on camera, but they appreciated him adding water.

Not a dumpster fire, but close

9:54 p.m., 700 block of Longboat Court

Property damage: A caller to police said a town fire truck had parked close to a trash can on his property, causing the plastic trash can cover to melt. A firefighter with the truck, on hand for a medical rescue next door, agreed the truck’s heat was responsible for melting the trash can cover. The Waste Management can had a hole in the cover and the front of it was melted.

Sept. 10

Dog’s best friends

8:22 a.m., 500 block of Juan Anasco Drive

Animal found: Police received a call from a resident about a medium sized white dog found in a neighborhood. The caller, afraid the dog would be hurt, took care of it while police looked for the owner, then offered to walk it around the area in hopes of finding the owner. After police left, they got word the dog and its owner had been reunited.

Look what I found

12:30 p.m., 1200 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Animal call: Police from a resident who reported finding a baby raccoon in the woods, though it appeared healthy and was not acting aggressively. The caller was told to allow the animal to remain in the woods.

Sept. 11

Water, water, everywhere

Suspicious circumstance: A resident returned home from vacation to find freshwater running at his boat dock. The resident said he checked with his landscape company and learned the water had not been on when they last visited a week earlier. The resident planned to connect with the Public Works Department.