Police answer questions, joke with children at year's final neighborhood roll call

For the last neighborhood roll call of 2016 on Thursday at the Mobil station on South Sprigg Street, Cape Girardeau officers spent most of the time tossing up a slightly deflated football in looping Hail Marys to a crowd of about 15 children and teenagers.

“I’d do that my whole shift if I could,” Sgt. Darren Estes said. “The kids were more interested in playing football and telling us how bad we were.”

Lt. Brad Smith and patrolmen Tanner Heitt, Jon Ortmann and Josh Potts all took time to throw the football around before listening to the list of outstanding warrants, vandalized vehicles and property damage that awaited them on their shift.

Heitt seemed to have as much fun as the teenagers and said he wished every officer in the platoon could attend.

As Heitt was talking, Ortmann was on his way to a call.

Heitt said he could not remember a roll call featuring all 10 officers in the platoon.

Estes conducted the roll call and joked with Ka’Zyrion Murray, a local child, when he read off a list of names with warrants.

“Y’all see any clowns around here?” 15-year-old Jamila Campbell asked.

Estes rolled with the question, although he explained a rash of clown sightings has been perpetuated mostly by social media.

“We heard something about somebody driving around with a clown mask on,” Estes said somewhat incredulously.

“These pictures have been spread all over the internet.”

One issue people did not ask about was the Brent Johnson homicide investigation, Estes said.

They were more concerned with getting something to eat and having a good time.

Estes said he was not sure whether community-policing events such as the neighborhood roll calls actually influence residents to talk to police about crimes, but “it certainly doesn’t hurt to get out here and talk to people.”

bkleine@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3644

Pertinent address:

612 S. Sprigg St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.