UPDATE - The previous version of the below release indicated the wrong date.  The correct date of the incident described occurred on Wednesday, August 14, 2019, at 3:55 PM.  The Redmond Police Department regrets the error.

====================

Redmond, OR – On Wednesday, August 14, 2019, at approximately 3:55 PM, two Redmond Police officers contacted a male at the Sam Johnson Park pavilion.  One of the officers recognized the adult male as an alleged suspect involved in the selling of controlled substances at Sam Johnson Park.  Additionally, the officer noticed the male had an unleashed dog in the park.  Redmond park rules require all dogs to be on a leash when in a city park.

Officers contacted the male informing him he needed to speak with him about the dog.  The male allegedly stated he was not going to talk with the officer.  The officer warned the person he needed to, or else he would be arrested.

During the contact, the decision to arrest the male for Interfering with a Peace Officer was made, and the male was ordered to turn around and put his hands behind his back.  The male resisted the officer’s efforts of arrest and was placed on the ground.

While on the ground the suspect continued to physically resist arrest.  A Taser was deployed during the attempt to place the male in custody.  After the initial use of the Taser on the male, he further resisted by attempting to grab the Taser and take it away from one of the officers.  The second officer, recognizing the suspect was attempting to take control of the Taser and putting the officer’s safety at risk, struck the suspect in the head with a closed fist twice effectively ending the male’s attempt to take control of the Taser.  Ultimately, the male was secured in custody after additional officers arrived.

The male arrested is Mr. Darian Belles, a 25-year-old Redmond area resident.  He was arrested on – three counts of Interfering with a Peace Officer, three counts of Resisting Arrest, Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree, Attempted Assault on a Public Safety Officer, Attempted Unlawful Use of a Stun Gun in the Second Degree, and Criminal Mischief in the Third Degree.

The officers primarily involved are identified as Officer Bryan Holman and Officer Chris Wooten.  Neither officer was injured, and both have returned to work.  Both officers involved had body cameras on and recorded the incident.

It is never lawful to resist arrest.  Officers have a lawful authority to enforce the laws and ordinances of Oregon and the City of Redmond.  Officers will always use all of their training, experience, and tools available to them to take a resisting subject into custody. 

All use of force incidents are reviewed by Redmond Police command staff to ensure the response used was lawful and within policy.  The review of this incident has just begun. 

All information will be sent to the District Attorney’s Office for review and a charging decision.  Video of this incident will not be released by the Redmond Police Department at this time.

The Redmond Police Department holds itself to the highest standards of law enforcement. We value the trust our community members place in us to keep our community safe.

Your Redmond Police Department serves you by responding to nearly 24,000 calls for service a year, with a professional staff of 47 sworn officers and 12 support staff. 

REDMOND, OR – In July, the Redmond Police Department conducted grant funded DUII High Visibility Enforcement Patrols.  Redmond patrol officers working their normal shifts during July arrested eight (8) DUII drivers. Redmond Police will continue enhanced DUII patrols throughout the remaining month. The primary intent of these heightened patrols is to prevent deaths, injuries and property damage caused by DUII drivers by removing them from the road.  Redmond Police Department officers are trained to look for signs of impairment beyond just alcohol, as many other substances, legal or illegal, can impair a person’s ability to operate a vehicle.   

During the 2019 Labor Day holiday, Redmond Police will partner with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to get drunk drivers off the roads and help save lives. The high-visibility national enforcement campaign, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, runs from August 14 through September 2, 2019. During this period, local law enforcement will show zero tolerance for drunk driving. Increased state and national messages about the dangers of driving impaired, coupled with enforcement and increased officers on the road, aim to drastically reduce drunk driving on our nation’s roadways.

Sadly, the statistics prove that we have a lot of work to do to put an end to drunk driving. According to NHTSA, 10,874 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes in 2017. On average, 10,000 people were killed each year from 2013 to 2017—one person was killed in drunk driving crashes every 48 minutes in 2017. That’s the equivalent of 20 jumbo jets crashing each year, with no survivors. This is why Redmond PD is working with NHTSA to remind drivers that drunk driving is not only illegal, it is a matter of life and death. As you head out to Labor Day festivities, remember: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.

During the 2017 Labor Day holiday period (6 p.m. September 1 – 5:59 a.m. September 5), there were 376 crash fatalities nationwide. Forty-four percent of those fatalities involved drivers who had been drinking (.01+ BAC). More than one-third (36%) of the fatalities involved drivers who were drunk (.08+ BAC), and more than one-fourth (26%) involved drivers who were driving with a BAC almost twice the legal limit (.15+ BAC). Age is a particularly risky factor: Among drivers between the ages of 18 and 34 who were killed in crashes over the Labor Day holiday period in 2017, 42 percent of those drivers were drunk, with BACs of .08 or higher.

Drunk driving isn’t the only risk on the road: Drug-impaired driving is also an increasing problem on our nation’s roads. If drivers are impaired by any substance—alcohol or drugs—they should not get behind the wheel of a vehicle. Driving while impaired is illegal, period. The bottom line is this: If You Feel Different, You Drive Different. Drive High, Get a DUI. It’s that simple.

Redmond PD recommends these safe alternatives to drinking and driving:

• Remember that it is never okay to drink and drive. Even if you’ve had only one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver or plan to use public transportation or a ride sharing service to get home safely.
• Download NHTSA’s SaferRide mobile app, available on Google Play for Android devices: (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nhtsa.SaferRide&hl=en), and Apple’s iTunes Store for iOS devices: (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/saferride/id950774008?mt=8). SaferRide allows users to call a taxi or a predetermined friend and identifies the user’s location so he or she can be picked up.
• Please report suspected DUII drivers by calling 541-693-6911 in Deschutes County or anywhere in Oregon by calling 800-24-DRUNK (800-243-7865). 
• Have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get your friend home safely.

For more information about the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, visit www.TrafficSafetyMarketing.gov.

The officers of your Redmond Police Department are committed to making Redmond the safest community in Oregon.  Preventing, locating and arresting DUII drivers is one of many ways they are working to accomplish this vision.  Funding to support these enhanced DUII patrols is provided by a DUII High Visibility Enforcement Grant, awarded to the Redmond Police Department from the Oregon Department of Transportation. 

Your Redmond Police Department serves you by responding to nearly 24,000 calls for service a year, with a professional staff of 45 sworn officers and 11 support staff. 

Prepared By: Sergeant Jonny Dickson

REDMOND, OR – In March, the Redmond Police Department conducted focused enforcement on distracted driving by contacting drivers who are failing to follow Oregon’s Unlawful Use of an Electronic Mobile Device law (ORS 811.507).  Three Officers funded by a grant conducted over 8 hours of enforcement resulting in numerous traffic stops.  The grant funded enforcement resulted in 7 citations and 1 warning for Unlawful Use of an Electronic Mobile Device.  Additionally, 1 citation for Driving While Suspended; and 3 other citations or warnings issued for other traffic violations.  Redmond patrol officers working their regular shifts during July issued 7 additional citations to drivers for Unlawful Use of an Electronic Mobile Device. 

Redmond Police will continue enhanced Distracted Driving patrols throughout the remaining month of August. The purpose of these heightened grant-funded patrols is to reduce the number of crashes on our roadways which can be attributed to distracted driving.  According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2016 3,450 people died as a result of a distracted driver.  Similar to DUII-related crashes, these crashes could have been prevented.  

 The officers of your Redmond Police Department are committed to making Redmond the safest community in Oregon. Seeking grant funding from various groups to place additional Officers on our roadways to deter and identify drivers driving distracted is one of many ways they are working to accomplish this vision. Funding to support these enhanced Distracted Driving patrols is provided by a Distracted Driver Enforcement Grant, awarded to the Redmond Police Department from the Oregon Department of Transportation.

Your Redmond Police Department serves you by responding to nearly 24,000 calls for service a year, with a professional staff of 45 sworn officers and 11 support staff. 

Prepared by: Sergeant Jonny Dickson