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SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The job of a police sergeant is a multi-faceted one as they play many different roles in the course of an average day with expectations they excel at each of them at all times.

An article on PoliceOne.Com calls the sergeant a police force's MVP, one who leads by example, enforces agency policies and procedures, and communicates and supports agency policy, all while being the linchpin between the community, management, and line personnel.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Followers of South Tahoe Now's police log have long known that the number of local auto thefts has been a concern of the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) for the last several years, but they are now seeing a disturbing trend with a large spike in the crime over the past year.

In 2018 SLTPD investigated 70 auto thefts, with 60 of them being crimes committed in the city limits. This reflects as 30 percent increase in the thefts in the last two years, 52 percent since 2008.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A 71-year-old local man has been arrested for the murder of his 65-year-old female roommate.

James Byron Cleveland was arrested by the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) after they responded to a Carson Avenue residence on a call of an injured woman on Sunday, January 13, 2019.

UPDATE at 9:00 a.m. 1/12/19: One man has been arrested in connection with this fire. To see more: http://southtahoenow.com/story/01/12/2019/one-arrested-south-lake-tahoe-honey-oil-explosion

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UPDATE at 8:45 p.m. 1/11/19: The South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue is still on the scene of an earlier fire on Kyburz Avenue. The cause of the fire is under investigation by both the fire and police departments.

New Detective Sgt. Travis Cabral said he did not expect any further updates tonight.

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SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - An estimated 20,000 visitors attended the 8th annual SnowGlobe Music Festival in South Lake Tahoe which was held over three days, December 29-31, 2018.

The South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) called this year's event the best they’ve had from a violation and enforcement standpoint. They said there were no significant problems or issues of any kind.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The 8th annual SnowGlobe Music Festival in South Lake Tahoe is underway, and after Day 1 city officials reports it was a "smooth start."

The South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) said they had no significant problems or issues of any kind on Saturday and made just one arrest between 2:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.

In comparison, there were 13 arrests on the first day of the festival in 2017.

Even outside the festival things were quiet.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Two South Tahoe High graduates are among the four newly sworn in officers for the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD).

Jason Fritz and Grant Fagen were sworn in at City Hall on Friday, Jason Nixon was sworn in on Thursday as he graduated from the Sacramento Police Academy and John Miller started work in October.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A South Lake Tahoe man is behind bars after being charged with three different burglaries of the Deerfield Lodge and possession of methamphetamines.

31-year-old Johnathan Adam Towne was arrested on December 16 after allegedly stealing $100 worth of towels and coffee pods on November 28 and $300 in sheets, towels, robes and toilet paper on December 8. On December 15 he was caught inside a room by hotel guests where he allegedly was stealing more coffee pods and hotel candy.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - It was a normal day of skiing in South Lake Tahoe on Friday, December 7, 2018 for a couple from Oakland, California. They had parked their car on the top floor of the five-story parking garage at Heavenly Village, left their two dogs Titan and Comet inside and hit the slopes for three hours.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A South Lake Tahoe man was arrested on November 14, 2018 after concerned parents alerted the police department about pot being sold to children at South Tahoe Middle School.

Gary Frega, 56, has been charged with selling marijuana to students as young as 13-years-old and is currently in the El Dorado County Jail on a $50,000 bail hold.

The names of the two South Lake Tahoe police detectives involved in last Monday's officer involved shooting have been released.

10/30 Update: The shooting suspect from the officer involved shooting on October 29, 2018 has been positively identified as 34-year-old Billy Jo Johnson of Gardnerville, Nev.

Next of kin notifications have been completed.

This is still an active investigation and no further information is available at this time.

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7:15 p.m. update - The suspect who died after the pursuit had a felony warrant for arrest for a PC 211, Robbery with a Firearm.

With an officer shortage in South Lake Tahoe, the police department is seeking applications for the position of "Police Officer Untrained/Trainee."

The City of South Lake Tahoe is looking for officers to fill a void created with the departure of four trained officers to other jurisdictions. If hired, candidates will get paid to attend the police academy and start with an annual salary of $63,505.52.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A 65-year-old man died Friday night after being struck by a vehicle near Denny's on Lake Tahoe Boulevard. Just before 7:30 p.m. on September 28, the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) received several calls about a pedestrian versus vehicle collision near the intersection of Lake Tahoe and Al Tahoe Boulevards.

Upon arrival they found an unresponsive man lying in the roadway in front of Denny's. South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue personnel arrived and pronounced the local man deceased at the scene.

It's election time which also means it's time for political signs to be found throughout the South Lake Tahoe community.

City of South Lake Tahoe Police Chief Brian Uhler is reminding candidates. their committees and supporters about the rules for signage placement.

Here is the law pertaining to signs as outlined in City Code 6.14.130A:

- Only on private property with permission from owner (no public easements)
- Size limited to 12 square feet—(for example: 3’ x 4’ or 2’ x 6’)
- Not “intentionally illuminated”

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A Cameron Park, California man has been identified as the swimmer who went missing in Lake Tahoe on Sunday, September 9, 2018.

Multiple agencies responded to the 5:36 p.m. call for help and a possible drowning on the lake near Nevada Beach including the Coast Guard, Tahoe Douglas Fire Department, South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) and South Lake Tahoe Fire Department, El Dorado County Sheriff (EDSO) and Douglas County Sheriff's Offices (DCSO).

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The South Lake Tahoe man who died in Lake Tahoe Monday has been identified as 74-year-old Robert Hill.

Mr. Hill left his home in the Tahoe Keys on Monday, August 27, 2018 at about 8:30 a.m. to go fly his model airplane on the Lighthouse Shore beach. According to the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD), it appears the model plane crashed into Lake Tahoe and he went in to retrieve it.

First responders around the South Lake Tahoe area were kept busy over the weekend with collisions, a jet ski crash and a major incident involving a pedestrian and vehicle.

On Sunday, August 19 at 12:12 a.m., South Lake Tahoe fire and police departments responded to the intersection of Lake Tahoe Boulevard (Hwy 50) and Lakeview Avenue on the call of a pedestrian versus vehicle crash.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CALIF. - El Dorado County Sheriff's Office responds to calls throughout the county. The following are calls that only pertain to the South and West Shore, including Meyers, South Lake Tahoe, Meeks Bay, Tahoma and the Echo Summit area. There may be some missing calls due to sheriff's logs not being completed at time of story.

Some of those recently added to last week's log:

8/8

12:34 a.m. - Bear Break-in - Country Club Dr

Detectives from the South Lake Tahoe Police Department flew to Tennessee overnight to arrest Nicola "Niki" Congero, the former executive director of Lake Tahoe Humane Society.

Congero, 50, was arrested without incident on the morning of Wednesday, August 1 and booked into the Knoxville jail on charges of embezzling approximately $60,000 from the South Lake Tahoe based non-profit. She is being held there on $200,000 bail and is currently awaiting extradition.

South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) had their hands full on Tuesday before, during and after the first of two Phish concerts at the outdoor arena at Harveys Lake Tahoe.

Trash including empty alcohol bottles and beer boxes littered much of the open space surrounding Stateline and Cedar Avenues where hundreds of fans lined the streets. In addition to the trash, pop-up tents with vendors starting selling clothing and other items illegally.

The owner of the corner property, chateau at the Village, sent out crews to help clean, according to SLTPD Lt. David Stevenson.

Road rage over a parking spot in South Lake Tahoe led to the stabbing of a 51-year-old man from San Jose on Thursday, July 12.

At about 10:30 a.m., the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) received numerous 911 calls about a stabbing in front of the CVS Pharmacy located at 3471 Lake Tahoe Blvd.

Upon arrival they found Scott Nevin bleeding from a stab wound. Witnesses identified 71-year-old Paul Ivanovsky from Sparks as the person who allegedly stabbed Nevin, and he was sitting in his car nearby, awaiting the arrival of police.

One man died and his shooter arrested after an argument on Saturday, June 30 in South Lake Tahoe.

Police responded to the 1000 block of Julie Lane shortly before 5:30 p.m. after reports of shots fired. Upon arrival they found 44-year-old Christopher Kitchen of South Lake Tahoe on the road at the entrance to Tahoe Verde Mobile Home Park. Despite life saving measures, Kitchen was prounounced deceased after medics took the victim to Barton Memorial Hospital.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A 33-year-old South Lake Tahoe man died after being struck by a vehicle on US 50 between Grocery Outlet and the Upper Truckee Bridge as he crossed the highway.

Crews from Security Paving, the Caltrans contractor working in the area, arrived at the job site at 5:38 a.m. Wednesday and found the body off the side of the road and called the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD).

SLTPD arrived first but turned the incident over to California Highway Patrol (CHP) as it was construction zone incident. Work had not yet begun for the day.