Overland Park Recognizes Inventors of JambBrace®

Comments by Ms. Terry Happer-Scheier
Overland Park Public Safety Committee Meeting
August 9, 2006

Mr. Dave Allen and Mr. Ron Olberding, please come forward.

In the summer of 1996, four women were sexually assaulted in their Overland Park homes. This series of crimes resulted in the police department conducting hundreds of residential security surveys. During the surveys, the Crime Prevention Unit continually encountered insecure door types. The officers were faced with a dilemma on how tell homeowners the best method to properly secure this type of door assembly.

To help find a solution to this door problem a request was made to the Kansas City Homebuilders Association to determine if anyone would be willing to help the police department resolve the problem. Two individuals, Mr. Dave Allen and Mr. Ron Olberding stepped forward to express an interest.

Dave Allen and Ron Olberding had been homebuilders for many years but were not familiar with how to properly secure a door assembly. So they decided to experiment. They constructed a wall section in a barn located at 12960 Quivira so they could test their ideas. Allen and Olberding purchased numerous door assemblies, installed them into the wall section they had constructed, and invited the OPPD officers to witness various types of force attacks. Over the course of several years, they have tested numerous doors, locks, windows, and hardware. The work accomplished by Dave and Ron led the Crime Prevention Unit to evaluate many other aspects of residential security. Their effort caused the police department to make some dramatic changes to their residential security recommendations. In 1998, the police department worked toward changing the City’s building codes to incorporate improved security measures into new home construction. Since that time, Shawnee, Lenexa, and Olathe have adopted the residential security ordinance that was drafted and adopted by Overland Park.

Ron and Dave have assisted the police department in numerous training sessions inviting officers to their “barn” to test and witness attacks on various doors, to see how security hardware is installed and be given an opportunity to receive “hands on training.”

In 2001 and in 2005, Ron and Dave traveled at their own expense to Washington, DC to assist Officer Mike Betten while he made presentations at the National Crime Prevention Conference. Their portable display allowed participants at this conference the opportunity to “kick test” doors. This provided valuable “hands on” experience to conference attendees. These sessions with Officer Betten have continually been ranked high among the conferences “best” features.

Recently, Ron and Dave participated in the City’s Building Safety Week setting up their display so residents could see and feel the difference a secure door makes to their homes.

The work, effort, and cooperation by Dave Allen and Ron Olberding is an excellent example of the community policing philosophy at its best. As a result, the Overland Park Police Department’s residential security program is second to none!

Please join me in showing our appreciation to Mr. Dave Allen and Mr. Ron Olberding.

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