Longboat Key Cops Corner: No day at the park

Sept. 12

Misguided entrepreneurship

4:15 p.m., 300 block of North Shore Road

Citizen assist: A resident who wanted to remain anonymous referred police to a property advertising $5 per hour parking or $20 all-day parking. The officer told the property owner that such an enterprise violates the town’s rules requiring vendors to first obtain a concessionaire agreement with the town. The owner immediately removed the signs.

We’ll be heading back

10:08 a.m., 3400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Dog on the beach: An officer responded to the beach behind a resort and spotted a small dog under a cabana with a woman. When asked, the woman told the officer the dog was not a certified service animal. She said she would return to her room with the dog.

Just reporting it

4:35 p.m., 2000 block of Harbourside Drive

Citizen assist: A resident with concerns about the quality of drinking water called police to report the issue and suggested recent work on water pipes might be connected. The officer referred the report to a supervisor for notification of the town’s Public Works Department. The police reminded the resident the police have no control over another town department’s response.

Open house

8:25 p.m., 3100 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Security check: Police performing a routine check of a business found a back door unsecured. Upon officers’ entry, they found no sign of a break in or other crime. Officers were able to lock the door from the inside upon their departure.

Sept. 13

All is well

12:10 a.m., 200 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Security check: An officer found an unsecured door on a business while making a routine check. With no signs of a forced entry, the officer checked inside and determined everything was normal.

Trashed trash

12:14 p.m., 7100 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Property damage: A resident called police to report damage done to a wooden enclosure for trash containers. The resident told an officer he had no idea how the damage had been done, but needed to document it for his condominium association. Damage was estimated at $75.

Sept. 14

Feed the birds

1:03 p.m., 500 block of Ketch Lane

Citizen dispute: A resident called police to report a neighbor who was using firecrackers to scare birds away. An officer learned that the neighbor’s spouse feeds the birds in the backyard, which often leads to them congregating. The neighbor, who said he was afraid of bird flu, then uses firecrackers to chase them off. The resident who called police said the use of fireworks was frightening a member of his family. The officer told the neighbors the use of fireworks was against the law, and suggested some other method of chasing off the birds.

Damaged lens

1:42 p.m., 5400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Property damage: A member of the Longboat Key Fire Department called police to make a report on damage done to a lens on a fireboat’s forward looking infrared system lens. The damage occurred during an operation and was valued at $1,000.

Randy calls

5:09 p.m., police headquarters

Suspicious incident: A resident came to the police department to file a complaint about recent phone messages that refer to an adult website. The resident said the messages are weekly and hoped to make a report in case other residents complained about the same issue.

Sept. 15

Sometimes, you just gotta

11:50 a.m., 6900 block of Longboat Drive South

Suspicious incident: Police were called to a neighborhood to investigate a report of a person possibly relieving himself in the trees near a residence. An officer spoke to a man who said he had been working in a nearby home and decided he had no alternative but to step outside to relieve himself when he discovered the water was cut off to the home’s plumbing. He promised the officer he would think ahead in the future and would not do this in the future. No charges were filed.

Sept. 16

In the road

1:08 a.m., 600 block of Broadway Street

Marchman Act: Police took a man into custody for his own safety, in accordance with the state’s Marchman Act. The man was found unresponsive in the middle of the road, dressed only in shorts and shoes. A knife was confiscated and held for safe-keeping while the man was taken to a hospital.

Sept. 18

See something, say something

8:08 a.m., Linley Street boat ramp

Found property: A caller reported to police a camouflage-color duffel bag sitting on the dock at the Linley Street boat ramp. Police initially found no one to link with the bag and looked inside, finding women’s clothing, two books and toiletries. The police department’s marine patrol officer said he thought it belonged to someone staying on a boat nearby and that he would try to make contact.

Who’s that guy?

5:57 p.m., 700 block of Russell Street

Suspicious person: Police were called to investigate a man who told a neighbor he was delivering groceries from an in-town retailer. When police talked to the man, he said he had been given the wrong address and was trying to correct the error. He produced store ID and showed the officer the address he was told to deliver to.

Sept. 19

Not closed

10:46 a.m., 7000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Suspicious incident: A caller who didn’t want to be identified alerted police to people on the beach, telling emergency dispatchers the beach was closed. The beach was not closed, and the officer alerted the dispatchers to that fact.

Disappearing supporters

1:11 p.m., 5200 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Noise: A caller who didn’t want to be identified called police about noise coming from a “parade’’ of vehicles in support of a presidential candidate. Police could find no such parade.

Sept. 20

Restaurant with a peel

5:05 p.m., 400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Suspicious person: Police were called to a closed restaurant on a report of a man sitting at a table without permission, eating a banana and smoking a cigarette. An officer arrived and told the homeless man the business was closed and that he would have to leave. The officer suggested Ken Thompson Park as an alternative, which the man agreed to. The officer and man gathered his belongings and was given a ride.

Bird down

6:20 p.m., 1100 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Animal call: A caller to police reported a seagull had been knocked from the sky by high winds and crashed to the ground near a condo pool. The bird had been wrapped in a town by a resident with experience in animal rescues. Animal Control was called.