Police Department News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press Release Date: February 20, 2024

Subject: Follow-Up Statement Regarding Student Threat Incident

The Danville Police Department, in partnership with Danville Local Schools, issues this follow-up statement concerning the recent incident involving a student threat.

On February 12th, at 10:57 am, the Danville PD received notification of a threat made by a student not enrolled in the district. Immediate action was taken upon receipt of this information, following established protocols. The threat was promptly reported to Law Enforcement through a "Duty to Warn," and both the school and law enforcement agencies swiftly enacted their safety procedures.

It is imperative for the community to be aware that the student involved in this incident has been transitioned from medical care to a juvenile detention facility. Danville Police, in collaboration with other county law enforcement, the Knox County Prosecutor's Office, medical professionals, and Danville Local Schools, are diligently providing appropriate support and supervision.

We want to underscore to our community that the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and community members remain our paramount concern. Every threat is treated with the utmost seriousness, and we are dedicated to upholding a secure learning environment for all.

We encourage anyone with concerns or information regarding this incident to contact the Danville Police Department or Danville Local Schools.

We extend our appreciation for the cooperation and support of our community as we navigate through this situation together.

Sincerely,

Dan J. Weckesser
Danville Police Chief

Captain Miller
Danville Local Schools SRO/District Security Officer

 

For Immediate Release

Press Release Date: February 15, 2024

Subject: Statement Regarding Student Threat Incident

The Danville Police Department is committed to providing a safe and secure environment for all students, staff, and community members. We want to inform our community about an incident that occurred recently involving a student threat.

On February 12th at 10:57 am the Danville PD was made aware of a threat made by a student who is not enrolled in the district. The threat was reported to the school via a “Duty to Warn”, who immediately took action in accordance with our established protocols for such situations. Danville Local Schools were also notified and are acting in accordance with their safety protocols.

It is important for the community to know that the student involved in this incident is currently under
specialized care and constant supervision.  Danville Police is collaborating closely with other county law enforcement, the Knox County Prosecutor's Office, medical professionals, and Danville Local Schools to ensure appropriate support and monitoring are in place.

We want to reassure our community that the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and community members are our top priorities. We take all threats seriously and will continue to work diligently to maintain a safe learning environment for everyone.

We encourage any member of our community who has concerns or information related to this incident to contact the Danville PD or Danville Local Schools.

We appreciate the cooperation and support of our community as we navigate this situation together.

Sincerely,

Danville Police Chief – Dan J. Weckesser                

Danville Local Schools SRO/ District Security Officer - Captain Miller

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Picture2  Picture1

We want to acknowledge the exemplary work that our own Det. John Bartolucci has done and for the recognition he received from the United States Department of Homeland Security Investigations for his team's great work in the rescue of a minor victim of child sexual abuse and the arrest of the offender. Det. Bartolucci is a part-time Detective for the Danville Police Department and is instrumental in investigating an array of crimes including internet crimes here locally. Det. Bartolucci is full-time with the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force in Franklin County where he is assigned as a Task Force Officer with the United States Department of Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Secret Service doing investigations and Digital Forensics. We are proud of the work that Det. Bartolucci has done getting sexual pedophiles off our streets so they can no longer victimize our youth.

 

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Mayor Mazarri   Travis Thomas  9 28 23

Officer Travis Thomas (left) was sworn in by Mayor Joe Mazzari as our newest member of the police force on Sept. 28, 2023.

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Chief Weckesser   Det. Bartolucci 11 23 2022 

Chief Daniel J. Weckesser of the Danville Police Department is proud to announce the deployment of new technology in pursuit of furthering criminal prosecution of technology-related crimes. The new equipment, valued at over $11,000, was purchased with funds from the Ohio ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) Task Force, a federal anti-crime initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. It is a collaboration of city, county, state, and federal law enforcement authorities across Ohio whose mission is to identify, arrest, and prosecute individuals who use the Internet to lure minors into illicit sexual relationships or use the Internet to produce, distribute, or solicit child pornography. Detective John Bartolucci with the Danville Police Department, who is also a member of the United States Secret Service, FBI, and Ohio ICAC Task Forces, is tasked with heading up the agency's spearhead initiative against internet and cyber crimes, especially those against children. Bartolucci, a Danville native who graduated from Danville High School in 2003, has gone on to work in law enforcement for over 17 years and is now an FBI Certified Cyber Investigator and a Certified Computer and Mobile Forensic Examiner, as well as an NW3C Internet Crimes Analyst. “This equipment is going to be an integral part of combating a new type of crime in society that is going to only get worse,” said Bartolucci. The equipment includes a specialized computer, software, and related equipment specially designed to investigate and handle sensitive digital evidence, as well as forensically examine computers and mobile devices. According to Chief Weckesser, “Our area has had access to some of this type of equipment through the Mount Vernon Police Department, but now we will have more capabilities and it will be more widespread and available with faster processing times and case turnaround." Bartolucci added, “This equipment isn't just for Danville, it's a resource for all of our area agencies. As part of the federal task forces, I am assigned to all of southern Ohio and we will assist any agency that needs help during an investigation, whether it's a phone call for technical assistance or on-scene assistance in collecting or processing digital evidence, whatever is needed to help combat the issue and bring offenders to justice, especially if they are exploiting or abusing children." “As cell phones have become more common for our youth, we have seen a notable increase in child exploitation cases and cases involving child-explicit material here in Danville," said Weckesser. “Additionally, we take a call of an internet-related crime at least once a week, some of which have resulted in tens of thousands of dollars in loss from the victims; it's time we start addressing these issues head-on and working on solving these cases and bringing the offenders to justice,” Weckesser continued. With internet crimes jumping from $4.2 billion in 2020 to over $6.9 billion in 2021, according to the FBI's annual internet crime report, there is no questioning that this is a significant issue. Bartolucci states he has had some success in the time he has been assigned to these cases, but they are difficult and very time-sensitive. “If you think you are the victim of one of these types of crimes, I encourage you to call your local law enforcement agency as soon as you can, these cases require swift action,” advised Bartolucci. “With that said, I want to thank Ohio ICAC for the equipment and for helping our agency move forward with our mission to pursue all types of internet and cyber crimes,” added Weckesser. Chief Weckesser and Detective Bartolucci want you to practice being safe on the internet and encourage you to report these types of crimes not only to your local law enforcement agency but also to the FBI's Internet Crimes Complaint Center at: www.IC3.gov For more information on how to protect yourself and your children on the internet visit: www.FTC.gov and www.OhioICAC.org

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