With no City Council meeting to round up this week, how about a quick run-down of news coming out of the Fort Thomas Police Department administrative office. Yesterday, I spoke with FTPD Information & Technology Officer, Lt. Ken Fecher:

Citizens Bank


Image via Greater Cincinnati/NKY Crime Stoppers

Last Wednesday, just before closing for the 4th of July holiday, Citizens Bank on Churchill Dr. on the border between Newport and Fort Thomas was robbed. The suspect is described as a white male, at the time wearing a ski-mask, jacket, cut off shorts, and gray New Balance tennis shoes.

Lt. Fecher described the FTPD’s involvement with the incident as not much more than helping set up a perimeter to assist Newport Police. FTM is still awaiting a statement from the Newport Police Department. 


Mopeds

We spoke at length about the moped issue

, and Lt. Fecher was quick to point out that “things like mopeds or electric scooters or motor scooters, another variation of the same issue surfaces every year. This year, it’s on-road mopeds.” Lt. Fecher then went on to clarify, though, that mopeds have really always been an issue in Ft. Thomas. 

Lt. Fecher also clarified that while mopeds (any motorized vehicle under 50cc’s) do not require insurance, passengers are prohibited by state law. “This is probably the biggest issue we see with mopeds,” said Lt. Fecher, “kids doubling up. If you see a moped pulled over by a squad car, it’s probably for that.”

As for the complaint that there are just too many of them these days, Lt. Fecher explained, “There’s not much we can do about that.” As long as mopeds are equipped with street-legal brake lights and turn signals and adhering to traffic laws, Lt. Fecher summarized a communication from Assistant Campbell Co. District Attorney Cameron Blau, they are within their legal right to operate the moped with the proper permit.

FTPD E-Lert System Loses Insight Email Users 


Due to the recent transition from Insight to Time Warner Cable, Lt. Fecher is reminding anyone who used to have an email account with Insight to either transition their email service from Insight to TWC, or to re-subscribe to the FTPD E-Lert system with their new email address. The system has already lost over 100 subscribers due to Insight discontinuing user accounts.

Lt. Fecher operates the FTPD E-Lert System, a.k.a. the Fort Thomas Police Alert and Advisory System. E-Lerts consist entirely of digital communications (via email) regarding city emergencies,  missing persons, crimes-in-progress, city facility notices, and other city-wide, need-to-know information. Lt. Fecher built the system in response to growing demand for such alerts being accessible by mobile device. 

If you don’t already subscribe, or need to re-subscribe, all you have to do is send an email address that you want to receive the alerts and advisories to Police@FtThomas.org.

4th of July Celebration


Lt. Fecher was happy to report that this year’s 4th of July Celebration went off without a hitch. “From our perspective, the celebration was a quiet one, and that’s how we like it.” 

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