Deerfield Beach

Sept. 17: A man said his car parked at 1311 SW 5 Ave. was entered and his wallet was stolen.

Sept. 17: The manager of a Publix at 3740 W. Hillsboro Blvd. reported that a man attempted to steal  a bag with $114 worth of items. The man attempted to hit the manager and then dropped the bag and fled.

Sept. 17: A woman reported that her vehicle was stolen. The vehicle was later recovered but she declined to press charges. The incident was reported at 203 NW 46 Ct.

Sept. 17: A woman reported that her iPhone was stolen from her purse at 3812 W. Hillsboro Blvd.

Sept. 18: A woman reported that her vehicle parked at 660 W. Hillsboro Blvd. was entered and a laptop stolen.

Lighthouse Point

Sept. 18: Police responded to an alarm at 2850 N. Federal Hwy. The keyholder was contacted and advised that pressure cleaners were onsite and had just finished up.

Sept. 21: A lanyard with a key fob was found at 3098 NE 52St. The property was placed into a locker.

Sept. 21: Police responded to an alarm at 2411 NE 33 St. The resident said he had a new alarm system and didn’t realize it was set when he opened the garage.

(This is a partial list. For Deerfield Beach Crime Watch in full, visit www.DFB.City and click on “Sign Me Up” to receive the city wide report.)

Deerfield Beach

Sept. 11: A woman reported her Honda Civic stolen from a parking lot at 4550 NW 18 Ave.

Sept. 12: It was reported that a vehicle was entered at 1771 NW 2 St. and credit cards were stolen. The credit cards were used at various locations.

Sept. 12: A woman reported her Toyota Prius stolen overnight from 466 Lock Rd.

Sept. 14: A woman reported her vehicle at 620 SE 10 St. broken into and her purse with credit cards stolen.

Sept. 14: A woman reported her car parked at 3851 NE 4 Terr. broken into and her purse, wallet, watch and driver’s license stolen.

Lighthouse Point

Aug. 28: Police responded to a delayed fraud that occurred at 4820 N. Federal Hwy. The employee said a fraudulent check was cashed by a former employee who was recently fired from the company. The employee was contacted and said she did not know how the $2,000 check was deposited into her account and would stop by the business to discuss it. She never did and her phone was turned off.

Aug. 28: Police responded to an audible alarm call in the cabana area at 2308 NE 30 Ct. A worker said he accidentally tripped the alarm while performing work there.

Aug. 28: Police responded to an alarm call of interior motion at 2331 NE 47 St. Police responded and found the home secure.

(This is a partial list. For Deerfield Beach Crime Watch in full, visit www.DFB.City and click on “Sign Me Up” to receive the city wide report.)

Deerfield Beach

Aug. 27: A woman reported that someone stole her bicycle at 2300 SW 15 St.

Aug. 27: A woman reported that a man whom she knows stole $95 and a debit card from her purse at 829 W. Sample Rd.

Aug. 27: A man reported that a former employee of his used stolen business checks and credit cards to steal thousands of dollars from him. The incident was reported at 4100 N. Powerline Rd.

Aug. 27: A man reported that someone entered his vehicle parked at 601 E. Sample Rd. and stole his wallet.

Aug. 28: A woman reported that someone broke into her home at 371 NE 45 St. and stole her television and a handbag.

Lighthouse Point

Aug. 15: Police responded to an alarm call at 2456 NE 26St. It was deemed a false alarm.

Aug. 15: Police responded to a call of a loose German Shepherd and small brown dog in the area of 2631 NE 52St. The police officer said he searched the area vigorously and was unable to locate them and suspected they had maybe returned to their home.

Aug. 16: Police responded to an alarm call at 2200 NE 32 St. It was deemed that the owner accidently set off the alarm.

(This is a partial list. For Deerfield Beach Crime Watch in full, visit www.DFB.City and click on “Sign Me Up” to receive the city wide report.)

Deerfield Beach

July 16: It was reported that multiple vehicles parked at 315 SW 32 Ave. had their windows smashed and items removed.

July 19: Someone smashed the passenger window of a vehicle parked at 2403 W. Hillsboro Blvd. and stole a purse with reading glasses and a Florida driver’s license.

July 19: A woman reported that someone attempted to break into her home at 1231 SE 10 St. An A/C unit was tampered with.

July 19: An elderly woman reported that a man and woman came to her apartment and said they had done some work for her in the backyard. She went to the backyard with them. Upon returning, she discovered that cash and jewelry were missing from the apartment. The incident was reported at 1977 SW 15 St.

July 19: It was reported that someone stole the engine computer to a truck at Approved Moving at 1501 NW 49 Ct.

July 19: A man reported that he believes a person who he knows entered his home at 1056 S. Military Trl. and stole two televisions, three playstations and one computer.

Lighthouse Point  

July 12: The victim believed she left her wallet in a Lyft driver’s vehicle at 3722 N. Federal Hwy. She was advised to contact the driver and was awaiting a response.

July 12: A resident called police to report she had found two dogs at 2216 NE 27 St. She later called back and said that the owner was located, and the call was cancelled.

July 14: Police responded to an alarm call at 2801 NE 46 St. The property was checked and found secure.

(This is a partial list. For Deerfield Beach Crime Watch in full, visit www.DFB.City and click on “Sign Me Up” to receive the city wide report.)

Deerfield Beach

July 9: The manager of Hobby Lobby at 4555 W. Hillsboro Blvd. was notified by Hobby Lobby loss prevention headquarters that they had discovered via video that someone stole $420 worth of crystals.

July 10: A man reported that his vehicle was broken into and $60 in cash, as well as credit cards and a pair of sunglasses, were stolen. The incident was reported at 201 E. Sample Rd.

July 10: A man reported that while he was unloading his vehicle at 312 Ocean Dr., the North Beach Pavilion, someone stole his bag containing a camera valued at $2,600, a lens valued at $800 and another lens valued at $100.

July 10: A man and a woman were observed stealing two printers from Target at 1200 S. Federal Hwy.

July 10: While a woman was pumping gas at a Chevron station at 1201 S. Military Tr., someone entered the vehicle and stole her purse, which contained $150.

Lighthouse Point

July 2: A man, who lives in the 2300 block of NE 28 Ct., went to the police department to report that his American Express card had been used for three online purchases totaling $410.74 that he did not authorize. The victim told police that he gave his son the Amex card the day before to use for two purchases, but it was returned. 

July 3: Police responded to a report of a pit bull walking on the street at 2830 NE 21Terr. The dog found its way home.

July 3: Police responded to an alarm call at 2824 NE 28 Ct. When police arrived, the subject inside said she was a friend of the family and was dog sitting for them and no pass code was given. It was deemed a false alarm.

(This is a partial list. For Deerfield Beach Crime Watch in full, visit www.DFB.City and click on “Sign Me Up” to receive the city wide report.)

Deerfield Beach

July 2: Someone threw a rock through the window of Intertek Dixie Plaza, a closed business at 5227 N. Dixie Hwy.

July 2: A man reported his vehicle parked at 4759 NW 9 Ave. broken into and a gun stolen.

July 2: A woman reported that her wallet was taken from her purse while she was at the Dollar Store at 3599 W. Hillsboro Blvd.

July 3: Someone stole five golf cart battery chargers from the Florida House at 475 S. Federal Hwy.

July 4: It was reported that a Toyota Corolla was stolen at 210 NW 38 Pl.

July 4: A woman reported that her vehicle at 630 Lock Rd. was broken into and two iPhone chargers stolen.

Lighthouse Point

June 30: The victim said he lost a wallet the previous day at 3860 NE 21 Way. He could not locate the wallet.

July 1: Police responded to a suspicious person at 4900 N. Federal Hwy. The subject was gone on arrival.

(This is a partial list. For Deerfield Beach Crime Watch in full, visit www.DFB.City and click on “Sign Me Up” to receive the city wide report.)

The whine of the Rolls Royce engine and oscillating whooshing sound from the four-bladed Bell 407 police helicopter hovering above echoed throughout the apartment complex’s hallways. Red and blue strobe lights danced upon the once dark and silent walls before gunfire had shattered the stillness of the evening.

“Over here,” called a first responder. “Look closely,” he said while pointing toward the lower abdomen of an adult male sprawled upon the ground being worked on by paramedics.

“You see these two small punctures?” said the first responder. “That’s where he was shot.” I had to almost squint; I’d never seen a shooting victim, nor had any clue what real gunshot wounds looked like. But there they were: what appeared to be two stab wounds by a No. 2 pencil.

Wasting little time, the victim was prepped for transport. A polite and calm paramedic looked over at me and said, “Wanna ride in the back with us to the hospital?” I needed to remain with the first responder I was shadowing for the evening, but I couldn’t help but notice the medic’s collected demeanor. For him, two bullets robbing a man of his pulse was simply another day on the job. He and the crew couldn’t let the reality of the situation distract them from their mission: saving lives.

I never learned the fate of the shooting victim, but I did become well-educated on the many other tragedies law enforcement personnel encounter during my many nights riding with the police, specifically drunk driving.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “In 2013, 10,076 people died in drunk driving crashes,” and another “290,000 were injured” because of intoxicated drivers. One DUI Task Force sheriff’s deputy told me that, statistically speaking, 1 in 4 drivers after 10 p.m. in Palm Beach County are driving impaired.

I recall one night, while heading east on Forest Hill Boulevard, the deputy I was riding with noticed a van ahead crossing the lane markings. We kept our distance monitoring the driver’s behavior—all being recorded by the dash cam. With enough probable cause to make a legal stop —suspicion of driving under the influence — the deputy switched on the trademark red and blue strobes. A quick yelp of the siren helped the van’s driver recognize he was our target, which caused him to pull off the road and stop just prior to the I-95 overpass.

Cautiously approaching the driver’s side, the deputy quickly realized his suspicion was accurate. Accompanying the driver was an aging prostitute — her skin wrinkled and leathery-looking, undoubtedly from years of smoking. While the moment was heartbreaking, I remember the wise advice of the seasoned DUI Task Force deputy, “No one gets to make a choice that could rob someone else’s right to live.”

And that’s where my deep sense of gratitude resides —knowing that each day, police officers and deputies make the exact opposite decision that drunk drivers and other criminals make. Police initiate numerous choices that often put themselves in harm’s way so that no one is robbed of their right to live. Christ says in John 15:13, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friend”— the citizens, in their case. Without a doubt, those behind the badge embody the United States Coast Guard rescue swimmer motto: “So others may live.”

So, dear officer or deputy, thank you for putting on the uniform daily. For knowing you’ll be second-guessed, have your food sometimes [spit in], and be bullied by the talking heads on television and trolls on social media. For rushing into the situations everyone else is running from. For often being the face of humanity, sacrificially serving your community, while the poor choices of a few of your brothers and sisters allows for a complete vilification of your chosen profession. Thank you for choosing to go to a “normal day on the job,” which really means guys like me and my fellow citizens are able to rest peacefully knowing, because of you, we may live.

C.J. Wetzler is the NextGen pastor at First Baptist Church of Deerfield Beach. Before transitioning into full-time ministry, CJ was a commercial airline captain and high school leadership and science teacher. For questions or comments he can be reached at cj@deerfieldfirst.com.

On May 4, 1998, millions of Americans viewed part one of the final Seinfeld episode, aptly titled “The Finale.” Stuck in a small, unfamiliar Massachusetts town, Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer are witnesses to an armed carjacking. Showing little concern for the victim, Kramer hoists his large camcorder to film the event while the others poke fun at the driver, for both his physical appearance and ill-fated predicament. Their laughter fades when a police officer approaches the four and places them under arrest.

“What? No, no … We didn’t do anything,” said Elaine.

“That’s exactly right,” replied the police officer, charging them for violating the town’s newly passed Good Samaritan Law, requiring bystanders to take reasonable action to assist anyone in danger.

While behind bars, George said, “Why would we want to help somebody? That’s what nuns and Red Cross workers are for.”

We laugh at its absurdity: the idea that anyone would stand idly by while a fellow human was in distress, let alone film the event. Yet a few weeks ago, footage of a Southwest Airlines flight attendant “slurring his words” and “nodding off” during a safety demonstration was posted to LiveLeak. The story went viral, accusing the flight attendant of either falling asleep or being drunk.

While the digital world jumped to negative conclusions, a personal friend of the flight attendant reported that he was actually suffering from a medical condition, and was later hospitalized for a brain aneurysm.

What started out as a punchline to a ‘90s television show has become our 21st Century reality: film first, post later, feel good about our “likes.” Me. Me. Me. Surely this can’t be healthy?

Psychology Today reports that when we become “self-absorbed, it’s difficult for us to experience the world from other people’s perspectives. Other people become truly ‘other’ to us. And this makes it possible for us to inflict suffering on them,” or fail to help them when they are in need. Our cell phones are charged and ready for filming, yet, it’s our empathy, our ability to be human, which is depleted.

This is cause for concern as we consider the research of renowned psychologist Dr. Philip Zimbardo. In his TED Talk, Zimbardo asserts that the “slippery slope of evil — exercising power to intentionally harm people physically and psychologically” begins with the “dehumanization of others” via a “legal, political, economic or cultural background — a system” that “corrupts the individuals.”

Consider the recent national cases of police either being refused restaurant service or having derogatory remarks scribbled across their coffee cups. Let me be clear about what’s happening: Individuals are uniting against the police. There are those in our society — in every society — who do not understand the text of Romans 13:3, “For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong.” (Naturally, some have more to fear than others.) But, this is different. These individuals are uniting under the same pretense. A movement has been created, a system that is giving some people power and permission to dehumanize police, leading to the infliction of suffering against police officers, both emotional and physical. In short, evil.

Zimbardo later goes on to say that the antidote to evil is heroes: “Heroes are everyday people.” Police are everyday people. They are humans. Let us not lose our empathy, unjustly dehumanizing our peace officers. Let us recognize the true courage of those who put their life on the line during every shift, while so many of us idly stand to the side, camera phone in hand, waiting for our clip to go viral.

To all those who put on the uniform every day, thank you. Your service and sacrifice does not go unnoticed, and I believe substantially more citizens than those portrayed in the media agree that your lives matter. Not because you are a police officer, but because you are human, and to dehumanize a person is nothing short of evil.

C.J. Wetzler is the Next-Gen pastor at First Baptist Church of Deerfield Beach. Before transitioning into full-time ministry, CJ was a commercial airline captain and high school leadership and science teacher. For questions or comments, he can be reached at cj@deerfieldfirst.com.

The men and women of the Broward Sheriff Office are mourning the loss of a dedicated colleague, Deputy Daniel Rivera, who died Saturday night of injuries he sustained in a car crash. He leaves behind a 14-year-old son, Damian Luis Barrio, and many other grieving relatives, friends and coworkers.

Visitation for Rivera will be held Thursday, Sept. 26 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Pompano Beach, 138 NE 1 STreet, Pompano. The funeral is 11 a.m., Friday, September 27 at Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale, 2401 W. Cypress Creek Road, Fort Lauderdale. Interment is at Our Lady Queen of Heaven, 1400 State Road 7, North Lauderdale.

Deputy Rivera, 32, started with the Broward Sheriff’s Office in 2003. He served in the agency’s Department of Detention until May 2012 when he transferred to the Department of Law Enforcement. He was a road patrol deputy in BSO’s Pompano Beach district. He was driving on Interstate 95 just before sunrise on Sept. 11 when his car left the roadway and hit a tree.

“Our entire agency is feeling the loss of this young, brave deputy who was taken too soon from his family, friends and coworkers,” Sheriff Scott Israel said. “I am praying for Deputy Rivera’s family to find comfort and strength during this time.”

Deputy Rivera was a confident, hard-working deputy who loved fitness, dancing to Latin music, rooting for the New York Mets and being with his friends, family and his girlfriend. He was born in Brooklyn and attended the High School of Art and Design in Manhattan, John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan and Florida Atlantic University. Deputy Rivera was an auxiliary police officer with the New York Police Department before moving to Florida at age 19. He attended Church by the Glades in Coral Springs.

Other survivors include his mother, Miriam Cuin, a captain with the New York City Department of Corrections; father, Antonio Cuin, a warden with the New York City Department of Corrections; sister, Jessica Ducos; brother, Carlos Ducos; grandparents, Moises and Maria Hernandez and girlfriend, Andrea Mendez.

DEERFIELD BEACH

Feb. 9 It was reported that two individuals approached a homeowner about cleaning the gutters of a home at 1111 NW 48Place. One individual walked with the homeowner to the back of the home. The homeowner reported that the other individual entered the home and stole $800 and jewelry from the home. (Incident took place on Feb. 8 but was reported on Feb. 9.)

Feb. 9 A woman was arrested and charged with grand theft at 820 Hillsboro Blvd.. The woman had been employed at a doctor’s office but was no longer working there. It was reported that the woman used a business checking account and routing numbers to pay $2,450 worth of personal bills online.

Feb. 11 A man was observed stealing a flat-panel television along with an anti-theft device at a Target at 3599 W. Hillsboro Blvd.

Feb. 11 A man reported that his vehicle ran out of gas at 1750 W. Hillsboro Blvd. When the man returned to his car, he found it was missing.

Feb. 11 A man was arrested and charged with grand theft from a CVS Store at 1350 S. Federal Hwy. The man stole a flat-panel television and photo converter.

Feb. 12 A worker at Public Storage at 3350 SW 10 Street discovered a lock on one of the facility’s bays was a not a Public Storage lock. Upon entering the bay, it was discovered that a Porter cable generator, a dresser containing various personal items and Christmas ornaments were stolen.

Feb. 12 A car in the parking lot of United Pentecostal Holiness Church at 77 NW 5 St. was entered and a book bag containing school books was taken.

Feb.12 Two women reported their home at 1436 SE 4 Place broken into and money taken from two wallets. Total amount taken was $290.

LIGHTHOUSE POINT

Feb. 7 A man reported that a man who identified himself as a Comcast service technician came to his home at 3100 NE 28 Ave. The man was left alone in an upstairs office. After he left, it was discovered that an envelope containing currency was taken from a briefcase.

Feb. 7 It was reported that a man was observed stealing groceries from a Publix at 3700 N. Federal Hwy. It was not known what was stolen.

Feb. 7 A woman reported that she allowed the niece of a friend to stay at her home at 2200 NE 44 St. The woman reported that a motor scooter, clothing, a snowboard, paintings, 50 DVDs, two clocks, a vacuum cleaner and dishes were stolen.