Occurred on 5/15/12, 4:40 a.m.  Aggravated Assault   2402 Segrest Street   1205150017 

Officers responding to an early morning call for service found a 50-year-old man bleeding on the front porch of his residence.  The man told Officers he was sleeping in his car when the suspect tried to burglarize his vehicle and stabbed him.  The victim was taken to Spohn Memorial with a stab wound to the chest. The victim’s girlfriend told Officers, he normally sleeps in the car which is inoperable when he drinks.  

The suspect is described as a thin Hispanic male, 25 to 35 years of age, with a shaved head.  Anyone with any information on this crime is encouraged to call Crimes Stoppers at 888-TIPS or you can also submit a tip online, visit the www.TipSubmit.com website to submit a secure e-mail tip.  The information provided could earn the caller a cash reward.

Corpus Christi residents have experienced an almost 25% increase in building burglaries during the first five months of 2012. While analyzing these crimes, Corpus Christi Police Department burglary Detectives have identified several significant trends.

Storage units have accounted for a large number of these burglaries. The Corpus Christi Police Department recommends you ask the following questions if you currently rent a storage unit, or are considering storing your items in a storage facility:

1. Does the facility have controlled access and video surveillance?
2. Does the facility secure units that are not currently rented?
3. Most importantly, do the units have gaps that allow thieves access from the outside, or from inside the storage unit to yours.

Remember to utilize a high security lock and check your unit often. Secure serial numbers to valuable items in a safe place other than the unit. Prospective renters can go to www.crimereports.com to see crime statistics for any location.

Outside storage sheds at homes and businesses are also frequently targeted. Make sure outside sheds are secured with a lock. Have serial numbers for mowers, weed eaters, blowers, etc. Permanently mark all items, especially tools, with some identifying mark unique to you. Tools are a frequent target of Burglars/Thieves.

By following these simple tips, residents can do their part to keep their valuables secure and help Keep Corpus Christi Safe.

Occurred on 5/9/12, 11:41 pm  Aggravated Robbery   1722 Prescott Drive    1205090084 

A Jiffy Express Wash Coin Laundry employee reported she was working at her desk when a Hispanic male armed with a steak knife walked in and demanded money.  The employee complied with his demand and the suspect fled on foot with an undetermined amount of money.

Officers searched the area for the suspect, but were unable to locate him.  He is described as a Hispanic male, 19 to 21 years of age , 5’8” feet tall, and weighing 140 lbs.  He was last seen wearing a black shirt black shorts, and a baseball cap.

Anyone with any information on this robbery is encouraged to call Crimes Stoppers at 888-TIPS or you can also submit a tip online, visit the www.TipSubmit.com website to submit a secure e-mail tip.  The information provided could earn the caller a cash reward.

Occurred on 5/9/12, 00:25 am  Aggravated Robbery   3700 Ayers   1205090004 

A 23-year-old male reported to Officers he was robbed by two males as he was walking along 3700 Ayers.  The victim who was visibly upset told Officers one of the males slashed at him with a knife, while the other male pulled a handgun and aimed it at him. 

Both males threatened to kill the victim as they demanded his money.  The men continued to make threats after they took his money. The victim fearing he would be killed ran to the Stripes Convenience Store, 4101 Ayers and called police. 

The suspects are described as Black males, 5’11” to 6’1” feet tall, 22 to 26 years of age, and weighing 180 to 190 lbs. Both suspects were wearing dark clothing and last seen running eastbound towards the 300 block of Roosevelt Drive. 

Anyone with any information on this crime is encouraged to call Crimes Stoppers at 888-TIPS or you can also submit a tip online, visit the www.TipSubmit.comwebsite to submit a secure email tip.  The information provided could earn the caller a cash reward.

Occurred Sunday, April 29, 2012, 3:15am Burglary 1608 S. Brownlee Blvd. 1204290045

Corpus Christi Police would like help from the public to gather additional information about a burglary at 1608 Brownlee Boulevard.

Corpus Christi police were called to the Pinnacle Roofing Company to investigate a burglary in which over $1,000 in tools was taken. The business provided police investigators with video surveillance records that show a white man who wore a cap, t-shirt and shorts. The man broke into a storage area and stole a variety of tools. The man put the tools into a backpack then left on foot away from the business.

Anyone interested to research reported crime in Corpus Christi is encouraged to search Crimereports.com for valuable information. Anyone who can identify the person responsible, or has additional information about this burglary at Pinnacle Roofing should call Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS (8847) or log on to www.888TIPS.com. The information provided could earn the caller a cash reward.

Chief Floyd Simpson today promoted Commander Mark Schauer and Commander Mike Markle to the position of Assistant Chief during a short ceremony at Police Department Headquarters   Schauer and Markle  join current Assistant Chief J.V. Garcia as the Corpus Christi Police Department’s second highest ranking police officials.  Both men were presented with a Certificate of Promotion and their Assistant Chief badges by Chief Simspon in front of a standing room only crowd in the Police Department auditorium.

Assistant Chief Mark Schauer is a 30 veteran of the police department and had served as the Commander of the Support Services Division since January of 2011.  Schauer has also commanded the Uniform Patrol and Narcotics/Vice Divisions. Schauer is a graduate of the F.B.I. National Academy, the Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas (LEMIT) and holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, where he teaches criminal justice classes as an adjunct professor. Chief Schauer, who was named Texas Peace Officer of the Year in 1997,  has supervised in almost every division in the Department, including Training, CID, MetroCom, Narcotics/Vice, and Traffic. In addition, Chief Schauer is in charge of the City’s Public Integrity Team, a specialized group of Police Department and City Officials who are assigned to investigate complaints of public corruption by city employees, and was recently tasked with overseeing the reorganization of the City’s Animal Control center.  Chief Schauer will be heading up the Police Department’s Administration Bureau.

Chief Mike Markle is a 22 year veteran of the CCPD, having served as Commander of CID since January 2011. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Saint Leo University and has served most of his career (17 years) in the Uniform Division. He spent 7 years on the SWAT team, has served as a Field Training Officer and was a member of the Police Department Honor Guard. Markle has received a Lifesaving Award and a Community Service Award from the Housing Authority.   In his previous role as a Captain in Support Services he played an important role in the updating of the Department’s 911 system, upgrading the dispatch area, and assisted in obtaining a federal grant to remodel the outdated communications center. Chief Markle will oversee the CCPD’s Investigation Bureau.

Contributed by Captain John Houston

This day in history, 120 years ago;

On May 5, 1892, the citizens of Corpus Christi were celebrating Cinco De Mayo with a parade down Leopard Street in the area of where the courthouse is today to the uptown bluff. Elias Mussett Jr. had just been reelected as the City Marshall and would start his second term that day. Mussett rode at the front of the parade and was soon joined by his daughter Lillian on horseback.

The celebration lasted all evening and prior to going to his  home he made one last patrol of the city on horseback. City Marshall Elias T Mussett Jr. had run against a subject named John Parker. Parker was a local trouble maker who the city council hired as a city police officer just three days before the murder even though many citizens told the council not to hire him.

Parker had made numerous threats to kill Mussett during the election. At approx 1:00 am on May 6th, Mussett  stopped to speak with a local standing outside the Pancho Grande bar which was located near what is now Waco and Leopard St. As Mussett spoke with the individual about the nights activities, Parker rode up in the dark and came to Mussett’s right side. Without as much as a word Parker fired one shot from his pistol killing Mussett immediately. Parker fled the area and went downtown to the police station located on what is now Mesquite St north of IH 37 and turned himself in for Mussett’s murder. Parker was charged with Murder and his trial began within one day. After days of testimony, Parker was found guilty of Murder and sentenced to life in prison with hard labor. He was sent to the Huntsville, Texas Walls Unit to serve his sentence. The entire city closed for Mussett’s funeral. Mussett was buried in Rose Hill Cemetary on land that belonged to his father, an original founder of Corpus Christi.

Mussett is the first documented In the Line of Duty Death of a Cprpus Christi Police Officer.  Please remember City Marshall Elias Mussett Jr. and his family in your thoughts and prayers this day. Mussett’s grandaughter, Harriet Nelson of Corpus Christi and family have attended our memorial service the last four years.