🌙✨ Protecting Our Night Skies at Riverfront Park ✨🌙
Our Riverfront flagpoles are currently down, but for a great reason - tomorrow we’ll be installing new lighting and halyards designed to support dark sky efforts in our community.
Light pollution - the excessive or misdirected artificial light that brightens the night sky—makes it harder to see stars and impacts both people and wildlife. Common sources include lighting that create an unnatural glow.
By upgrading to more thoughtful lighting, we’re taking steps to reduce light pollution and protect our natural nighttime environment. Dark sky-friendly lighting helps:
🌌 Preserve our view of the stars
🛌 Support healthy sleep patterns and mental well-being
🦉 Protect wildlife that rely on natural darkness for hunting, mating, and navigation
This work also coincides with International Dark Sky Week (April 13–20), a global celebration of the night. From the darkness needed for a restful night’s sleep to the activities we enjoy beneath the stars, the night is filled with wonder and importance. Dark skies sustain critical wildlife ecosystems, strengthen the well-being of our communities, enable scientific discovery, and preserve shared cultural knowledge and traditions.
Join us as we “go dark” to explore the night and take action to protect dark skies worldwide. Together, we can reduce light pollution, protect our environment, and keep the beauty of the night sky shining bright for generations to come. 🌌🌠
Please join us in taking this week to recognize and honor these professionals during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week (April 12–18, 2026).
Before the sirens ever sound, before lights and radios fill the night, there is a voice. A steady voice in the dark.
These are the professionals who sit at the center of chaos and turn panic into direction. The first of the first responders. The calm in the storm. The voice that answers when everything else is breaking down.
They work long, demanding shifts surrounded by screens and radios, carrying the weight of every call that comes through. Medical emergencies, fires, crashes, crises, and moments that change lives in an instant. In those moments, they are tasked with something extraordinary: to listen, to interpret fear and confusion, to locate help, and to send it without delay, without hesitation.
They guide strangers through CPR over the phone. They calm frantic parents. They coordinate police, fire, and EMS simultaneously when seconds matter most. They do all of this while remaining composed, precise, and clear because someone’s worst day depends on it.
And when the call ends, there is no pause button for what they have heard. They clear the line, reset their focus, and answer the next ring, ready again to serve the next person in need.
They are rarely seen. Rarely thanked. But never replaceable.
To the dispatchers of Washington Communications, thank you for your professionalism, your resilience, and your commitment to this community. You are the first voice of hope when hope is needed most.
#WashMO #FirstOfTheFirstResponders #WeAllKnowDispatchWasRight #Dispatch: I Said What I Said #NPSTW2026
4/01: mutual aid, Augusta
vegetation fire, Hwy YY
4/02: wires, Germantown Rd.
alarm, Heritage Hills Dr.
mutual aid, Marthasville
4/03: assist EMS, Bramel Rd.
alarm, E. 5th St.
mutual aid, St. Clair
4/04: assist EMS, Creekhollow Ln.
alarm, Front St.
mutual aid, Boles
4/06: vehicle accident, Hwy 100
alarm, Front St.
4107: mutual aid, Gerald-Rosebud
4/08: vehicle accident, Hwy A
vehicle accident, Hwy 100/Jefferson St.
4/09: mutual aid, Union
vehicle accident, Steutermann Rd.
wires, W. 4th St.
4/10: vehicle accident, Dale Dr.
4/11: alarm, Marbach Dr.
Professional Volunteer Service since 1852 #wfd #volunteerfiredepartment #washmo
3/15: alarm, Front St.
3/16: tree on roadway, Hwy 100
alarm, Watermann Dr.
alarm, W. Main St
assist EMS, High St.
3117: mutual aid, Boles
3/18: alarm, Youngfield Circle
assist EMS, High St.
assist EMS, Hwy 185
3/20: assist EMS, Oak St.
mutual aid, Marthasville
vegetation fire, Hwy A
mutual aid, New Haven-Berger
alarm, Hwy A
vehicle accident, Jefferson St.
3/21: vehicle accident, Old Hwy 100
mutual aid, st. Clair
3/22: mutual aid, New Haven- Berger
alarm, E. 6th St.
mutual aid, Marthasville
3/23: mutual aid, Union
alarm, Lange Dr.
alarm, Vernaci Dr.
3/24. vehicle accident, Hwy 100/ High St.
vegetation fire, Southlink Dr.
3/25: assist EMS, Jade Ln.
vehicle accident, Hwy 185
elevator rescue, E. 5th St.
vegetation fire, Olive St.
alarm, Arvel Ln.
3/26: mutual aid, St. Clair
vegetation fire, Oxford Dr.
vehicle accident, Hwy 100
3/27: alarm, Mike Alan Dr.
mutual aid, Marthasville
check area, Phoenix Park Dr.
assist EMS, Wenona Dr.
3/28: alarm, Vernaci Dr.
3/30: vehicle accident, Hwy 100
assist EMS, Patients First Dr.
assist EMS, State St.
vehicle accident, Hwy A
3/31: alarm, Hwy 100
mutual aid, st. Clair
Professional Volunteer Service since 1852 #wfd #volunteerfiredepartment #washmo
Night Shift Summary 04/11/26
Assisted the fire department in the area of A Roy Drive.
A male subject was arrested in the area of the riverfront.
A male subject was arrested in the area of Washington Corners.
Arrests do not imply guilt.
Night Shift Summary 04/10/26
A male subject was arrested for DWI in the area of 5th Street and Highway 47.
A leaving the scene of an accident was reported in the area of 5th Street and Elm Street.
A female subject was arrested for DWI in the area of Bieker Road.
Arrests do not imply guilt.
Join us at Washington Public Library on Saturday, April 18 from 9am to 2pm for the Missouri Book Festival. This family-friendly festival has over 30 programs for children and adults, including cooking programs, an exotic petting zoo, storytimes, author talks, vendor booths and more. See all the activities here.
The new playground at Krog Park is ready for play!!
Thanks to our Parks Staff, who worked hard over the past few days to complete it.
We can't wait to see the kids enjoying it!
Starting Monday, April 13, crews will have Front Street closed from Lafayette to Elm.
Front Street, from Lafayette to Oak Street will remain closed over the weekend. Sidewalk will remain open to allow access to local businesses.
Similar to “Coffee with a Cop,” this event gives students the chance to interact with officers outside of their School Resource Officer in a relaxed and approachable setting. Building positive relationships with our youth is a priority, and events like this help create open lines of communication while breaking down barriers.
Between conversations, donuts, and a few games, it was a great morning spent getting to know students on a more personal level. Thank you to WHS STUCO for organizing and making this event possible, we appreciate your partnership.
Ever wonder where the “cops and donuts” connection comes from? It dates back to the 1940s and 1950s, when donut shops were often some of the only businesses open overnight. For officers working night shift, they offered a convenient place to grab a quick bite, complete paperwork/make phone calls, or take a short break. In turn, an officer’s presence helped provide an added sense of security for those businesses during late-night hours.
As the late Paul Harvey would say… “and now you know the rest of the story.”
Stay safe Washmo, happy Blue Friday!
#WashMO #GoBluejays #PositiveConnections #DonutsAreTasty
🚨 FRIDAY FRAUD FACTS 🚨
Gift Card Scams: Gift card scams are incredibly common and can be associated with any of the other scams covered in this presentation. No matter the type of scam, scammers disguise themselves as an official such as law enforcement or a bank employee. The scammer then often requests payments for various reasons in the form of gift cards because the transactions are difficult to trace and it offers the scammer some anonymity. If a person ever receives a phone call, text message, or communication of any kind requesting gift cards as a payment for something, they should just assume it is a scam. No legitimate business or organization will EVER ask for payment in the form of gift cards. Common examples of gift cards the Washington Police Department has seen requested in these types of scams are Apple gift cards and pre-paid Visa gift cards. However, we have seen a wide variety of gift card types being requested for businesses such as Sephora, Nordstrom, Walmart etc..
Example: A real-world example of a gift card/phishing scam that was investigated by the Washington Police Department in 2025 was when an elderly person was contacted by an unknown individual, who was posing as an IRS agent. The victim, who was in their 80s, was told by the scammers that their identity had been stolen and that they needed to empty their bank account. During the initial conversation, the scammer identified himself as a real high-ranking member of the IRS and then gave the victim instructions to continue the conversation on WhatsApp. Thinking that they were really talking to an IRS agent, the victim complied. Over the course of several weeks, the scammers got the victim to take cash advances on both of their credit cards and clear out their savings account. The victim then took those funds and made numerous gift card purchases, then provided the gift card information to the scammers on the phone. When it was all said and done, the victim lost $7,000.00, which was everything they had. This case is still under investigation, but it is starting to appear that the scammers are based overseas, which will make prosecution difficult if not impossible.
Day Shift Summary 04/09/2026
A subject in the area of Bieker Road called to report vehicles driving past the buses with their stop arms out. Extra patrol will be conducted
An animal bite was reported in the 600 block of Burnside
A report was taken on the bike trail for an injury that occurred on city property
A verbal domestic was reported in the 100 block of Johnson
A property damage was reported in the 100 block of West 10th Street
A non-injury vehicle collision was reported at Hwy 47/3rd Street
A non-injury vehicle collision was reported at Heritage Hills and Hwy 47
A non-injury vehicle collision with road blockage was reported at Steutermann and Valley. This was the cause of the electrical outage on the southeast end of town
Due to an accident, please avoid the area of Steutermann Road and Highway 47.
Washington in Bloom’s Volunteers in the Parks (VIPs) kicked off their season yesterday! They got a great start with trimming, pruning, and weeding—prepping the beds for another stunning display of flowers that will be planted in the coming months. 🌼✨
Love gardening or know someone who does? Come be part of something beautiful and help our community bloom!
👉 Sign up and join Washington in Bloom’s VIPs today!
#WashingtonInBloom #Volunteer #Gardening #CommunityBeautification
Night Shift Summary 04/08/26
Minor injury vehicle crash on Highway 100 at Highway A.
Property damage reported in the area of East 6th Street and Hooker Street.
Assault reported on Elbert Drive.
Vehicle was reported crossing the center line and running off the roadway. Subject was contacted and found to be intoxicated. Subject was arrested.
Hazards removed from the roadway on Highway 47 at Highway 100.
Vehicle was witnessed driving on a damaged wheel. Vehicle was located in the 700 block of West 7th Street. The driver was located and was found to be intoxicated. Subject was arrested.
Peace disturbance reported in the 600 block of West 7th Street. The dogs that were barking were brought inside.
Day Shift Summary. 4/8/26:
A verbal domestic was reported in the area of Southwinds.
A peace disturbance was reported in the 400 block of E. 5th St.
A private property motor vehicle crash occurred in the 800 block of Washington Corners.
A motor vehicle crash occurred in the area of Hwy 47 and E. 8th St.
A motor vehicle crash occurred in the area of Hwy A and Steutermann Rd.
A female was arrested for operating a vehicle without a valid license in the area of Hwy 47 and E. 1st St.
ARRESTS DO NOT IMPLY GUILT
✅ The Half-Cent Transportation Sales Tax has been extended!
The City of Washington is grateful to our residents for their continued investment in our roads, infrastructure, and community safety. These funds will support ongoing transportation improvements that benefit everyone.
Thank you for your continued support of our community!
The City of Washington is grateful to our residents for their continued investment in our community's infrastructure, services, and public spaces. These funds go directly toward improvements that benefit everyone.
Thank you for your continued support of our community!
Night Shift Summary. Date:04-07-2026
A missing person report was taken.
A female subject was arrested in the area of 5th Street and Washington Ave.
Traffic crash reported in the area of Highway 100 and West Pride Drive.
Arrests do not imply guilt.
