south lake tahoe police chief

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - New South Lake Tahoe Police Chief David Stevenson was sworn in during a ceremony on Monday, receiving his official badge from his wife Jennifer in front of his mother and sister. The virtual ceremony had just a few attendees due to COVID-19 restrictions, but many were able to log onto their phones and computers and watch the 25-year veteran of the force, and South Tahoe High graduate, move into the top spot in the police department.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - In just two weeks the City of South Lake Tahoe will be saying goodbye to its sixth police chief since becoming incorporated in 1965.

Chief Brian Uhler will be wrapping up a 40-year career in law enforcement when he retires from the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) on March 12, 2020. He has been the second-longest serving chief, coming within a couple of months of the City's second police chief, John Crow.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There will be another fire in California, but when and where cannot be predicted and is unknown - but what is known is there will be another community that is devastated by wildland fire.

Residents around Lake Tahoe and the Sierra know this all too well and have been talking about concerns of wildfire threats in and around the Tahoe Basin. Those conversations have turned into plans and the City of South Lake Tahoe has just released an interactive website to help both residents and visitors map out an evacuation plan based on their neighborhood.

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.

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”

With the new South Lake Tahoe Vacation Home Rental (VHR) Ordinance going into effect on Friday, December 22, 2017, the police department took the first steps in acting on one part of that new document, the three strikes and you're out portion.

On Thursday, South Lake Police Department (SLTPD) sent certified mail notices to permitted VHR owners who have had one or two upheld violations in the last 24 months.

During the spring and summer of 2016, the City of South Lake Tahoe received many complaints for homeless people causing safety and health problems in parks and public places, mainly Lakeview Commons, Campground by the Lake, Heavenly Village and the transit centers at both ends of town.

This spring the number of calls have increased, and officers from the South Lake Tahoe Police have responded. The main five locations the problems occurred at in 2016 remain the same so far in 2017.

Snowplow operators have been working 12-hour shifts to get the roads in South Lake Tahoe cleared of snow, and they will continue widening roads starting Friday to prepare for the next storm.

During winter snow conditions, snow plows have the right of way on streets and vehicles left unattended in the streets are subject to a citation and/or getting towed. Law enforcement is seeing a large number of cars parked on neighborhood streets and not where they belong in driveways.

For the past several months there has been no official SLEDNET servicing the South Shore, and today it was announced that the drug task force that has been serving the community since 1988 has dissolved.

South Lake Tahoe Police Chief Brian Uhler has written the following in response to an opinion piece written by South Tahoe High junior Noah Jackson that was posted on South Tahoe Now June 9 concerning massage parlors.

The definition of a massage parlor according to Wikipedia is: A place where massage services are provided. Some massage parlors are fronts for prostitution and the term "massage parlor" has also become a euphemism for a brothel, to the annoyance of professional masseurs.

With the massive traffic jam created by travelers trying to get out of South Lake Tahoe during the snowstorm January 31, several options have been discussed to prevent a repeat, especially with a large holiday crowd this weekend.

The community has had an opportunity all summer to meet with the South Lake Tahoe Police Chief, Lieutenants and Sergeants this summer during their "Coffee With a Cop" series which is held ever Thursday from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Starbucks near Stateline.

These meetings give locals and visitors the chance to meet the officers and help shape our policing efforts in South Lake Tahoe. People are encouraged to stop by and share what’s going on in your neighborhood, what you are concerned about, and of course they’re happy to hear good news as well.

The community has had an opportunity all summer to meet with the South Lake Tahoe Police Chief, Lieutenants and Sergeants this summer during their "Coffee With a Cop" series which is held ever Thursday from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Starbucks near Stateline.

These meetings give locals and visitors the chance to meet the officers and help shape our policing efforts in South Lake Tahoe. People are encouraged to stop by and share what’s going on in your neighborhood, what you are concerned about, and of course they’re happy to hear good news as well.

The South Lake Tahoe Police Department has been meeting with community members and visitors one day a week for the past month during "Coffee With a Cop."

Lieutenants, Sergeants and the Chief have been at the Stateline area Starbucks each Thursday from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., giving everyone a chance to meet the department's administrative staff and help shape policing efforts in South Lake Tahoe.

There have been a few people who have shown up each week because they knew the SLTPD would be there, others just stop by when they see them sitting at the table.

Good News…Crime for 2014 is down!

Police officials recently completed the official Uniform Crime Report for 2014. Overall, the “part 1” violent and property crimes are down.

Here are some details comparing 2013 and 2014:

Violent Crime - the first column of numbers is for 2013, second is for2014

Homicide ..........3..........0

Forcible Rape..........8..........14

Robbery..........16..........21

Aggravated Assault..........89..........77

It was discovered that a South Lake Tahoe homeowner had been renting out his vacation home since at least 2008 without paying transient occupancy tax (TOT). An audit of the City's Vacation Home Rental program discovered the violation, and when the homeowner refused to comply so a criminal investigation was conducted.

Being touted as "The Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act" by proponents, Proposition 47 will mandate misdemeanors instead of felonies for “non-serious, nonviolent crimes," unless the defendant has prior convictions for murder, rape, certain sex offenses or certain gun crimes.

The reason Prop 47 got this name is because a fund bearing it's name will be created by the estimated savings of $150M to $250M the state will receive by not having to prosecute crimes that would become misdemeanors.

American Legion Post 795 will conduct it's annual Patriot's Day ceremony at the Legion Hall at 11 a.m. on Thursday, September 11.

The observance honors the safety forces and military members who gave their lives on September 11, 2001 during the terrorist attacks on the United States.

South Lake Tahoe Police Chief Brian Uhler and Fire Chief Jeff Meston will speak on the role of emergency personnel on that day, and on the sacrifices they made.

The public is welcome to attend; light refreshments will be served after the service.

Editor's note: South Lake Tahoe police chief Brian Uhler's son, Alex, died last week. He has asked that this be shared with the community.I thought it of value to write colleagues in public safe...

Since as far back as he could remember, Les Lovell wanted to be a law enforcement officer.
The notions of keeping peace and preserving justice were always on his radar and for 30-plus years, the now-retired senior lieutenant for the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office Lake Tahoe Branch fulfilled his commitment.