PPD's Mike Wood: Officers Responded to Hostage Situation; Baptist Break-Ins; Urge School Zone Safety

Pensacola, FL (NewsRadio 92.3) -- Pensacola Police Department PIO Mike Wood joined Pensacola Morning News Thursday — guest hosted by Greater Pensacola Chamber President Todd Thompson — with a wide-ranging update covering everything from a SWAT callout on North Haynes Street to a pig who didn't want to leave an air conditioned police cruiser.

No Name Apartments SWAT Callout

PPD's SWAT team and negotiators responded Friday afternoon to the No Name Apartments on North Haynes Street after a man threatening to harm himself was inside an apartment with a five-year-old child. Officers were able to get the child out safely first. The man eventually came out on his own and was taken to receive help without further incident. Wood used the moment to renew his warning about social media misinformation during active incidents — saying the same situation played out the week prior at Pensacola Village where someone posted online that ten people had been shot there, which was completely false. Wood says PPD's Facebook page has been significantly upgraded under Chief Winstrom to push accurate breaking news information quickly — and urged residents to rely on NewsRadio and PPD's official social media pages rather than keyboard warriors during breaking events.

Baptist Hospital Break-Ins — Still Happening, Still Getting Caught

Two juveniles and one adult were arrested Sunday night attempting to burglarize the old Baptist Hospital campus. Wood says PPD is now ten to twelve for zero on catching intruders at the site — with security cameras covering the entire campus during the active demolition. Wood says people — usually teenagers — keep trying to get in looking for copper wire, old furniture, or anything they can take. He says the chances of getting caught are approaching 100 percent and urges everyone to stay away from the campus entirely. He noted PPD is also undefeated at Blue Wahoos Stadium — another location with comprehensive camera coverage.

Back to School — School Zones and Bus Stops

With Escambia County students back in class this week Wood says PPD officers are actively watching school zones and bus stops. He says school zone speeding carries no warning — officers will write tickets because children's safety cannot be compromised. On bus stops he says the most common confusion point is four-lane roads — all traffic in both directions must stop when a bus extends its arm unless drivers would have to cross an unpaved grass median at least five feet wide to reach the bus. When in doubt slow down and stop. Wood says PPD has not seen a high volume of violations in the first week back but says enforcement is consistent and active.

Wilbert the Pig

The highlight of the week — PPD took a pig named Wilbert into temporary custody after he was spotted loose in East Pensacola Heights. An officer got Wilbert into the back of a cruiser where he apparently enjoyed the air conditioning quite a bit. Once his owners were identified and officers tried to return him home Wilbert refused to leave the cruiser. He was eventually lured out with double stuffed Oreo cookies and is back home doing well. Wood noted this was actually the third escaped pig PPD has dealt with this year — the first was on Garden Street, the second on Interstate 110, and now Wilbert in East Pensacola Heights. All three were different pigs. Wood says PPD may need to consider forming a dedicated escaped pig task force. He also noted that pigs are smart animals and putting one in air conditioning in August is a recipe for not getting them back out easily — which he says you really can't blame them for.