The Emporia Police Department is making some key changes to the way it operates and crime statistics in the city are reflecting many of these changes.
Gary Smith, Emporia police chief, discussed 2006, 2007 and 2008’s crime and statistics this week after releasing the 2008 annual report. Smith has been police chief for more than a year, having started on Jan. 8, 2008.
Smith said a lot of officer time is spent on criminal damage and animal-related calls. In 2006 there were 806 criminal damage offenses; 2007, 1,023 and 2008, 1,014. In 2008, the department received 726 citizen reports of criminal damage. For animal calls there were 2,290 animal-related calls. This number includes animal bite, cruelty to animals, animal noise, animal problem, cow out, dead animals, dog at large, dog to go, sick animal and vicious animal. The area with the most calls was dog at large, with 984 calls. Smith said the department hopes to change that number.
“We need to look at how we are going to change that,” Smith said. “Part of it is going to be stricter animal regulations.”
Smith added that in former days, if animals were seen running loose and the officer knew who it belonged to it would simply be taken home. However, that will change and a citation likely will be issued along with the animal.
Vicious animal calls came in at 151 calls.
“That could be controlled if people would contain their animals,” Smith said.
Smith said a lot of calls could be reduced if proper preventive measures are put in place. To help reduce non-injury accidents, which came in at 865 calls in 2008, the department has purchased a speed display trailer that will let drivers know how fast they are driving. The department also has traffic-counter equipment to track traffic numbers and where officers should be placed.
“We have some pedestrian crosswalk signs we are going to be putting up,” Smith said.
Smith said gas drive-offs can be reduced or prevented by requiring customers to pre-pay for gasoline.
“There’s ways of fixing that,” Smith said.
Smith said neighborhood watch programs also can help reduce crime.
“I look at ways we can fix or have an impact (on crime rates),” Smith said.
He added that reckless driving incidents can be reduced by additional traffic enforcement in problem areas.
“... Traffic enforcement will probably have more impact than anything,” he said.
Another aspect that ties the department up is patient transfers to mental health facilities. It takes two to three hours out of one to two officers’ time.
“We don’t have a facility to hold them here,” Smith said.
Welfare checks are time consuming as well. There were 417 of those in 2008.
“It’s something we have to do but it takes us a long time to do those,” he said.
A lot of time is spent on reports and supplemental reports, however, that can’t be prevented as reports are mandated, Smith said. Smith said he hopes to have reports online soon where people can view them by case or have a kiosk where people can use their driver’s license to access their reports filed.
Not all calls to the police department are bad. There were 965 calls for suspicious person/circumstance in 2008, Smith said. Smith said he likes to see those calls show up on the log because it means people are paying attention and reporting suspicious activities.
Smith said a lot of additional training was done with officers in 2008, especially in the area of domestic violence training. An upswing of calls means officers are better trained to recognize signs and situations, Smith said.
“I attribute it to better training of officers,” he said.
The number of burglaries increased sharply in 2007 but was due to classification, Smith said.
“If I go in your car and take your cell phone, it’s a burglary,” he said.
HenryVIII (anonymous) says...
What's a "dog to go" call?
'enry
February 10, 2009 at 4:36 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Happiness09 (anonymous) says...
I've seen the "dog to go" listed in the newspaper several times too, and have wondered myself. Anybody know?
February 10, 2009 at 4:54 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
HenryVIII (anonymous) says...
Maybe it's when the officers stop at Sonic to get a foot long chili cheese Coney to go. Ha! What a lark!
'enry
February 10, 2009 at 4:59 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Tell (anonymous) says...
I wonder if the police dept can do anything about the loud banging music that some inconsiderate people insist on playing even at a stop light. I was filling up with gas once and this young couple was playing banging music with no respect for anyone else, as they drove off we noticed a baby in the back seat. Sure to have hearing loss .
February 10, 2009 at 5:51 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
EmporiaMama (anonymous) says...
Sure would be nice if they could hire and keep an animal control officer employed. That might help with the animal calls. I know my neighbor has about 30 cats that I've called and called about and nothing ever gets done. Ridiculous.
February 10, 2009 at 8:33 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
oh4theluvof (anonymous) says...
Henry and Happiness:
I think that "dog to go" is a captured stray for animal control to pick up. I am not 100% sure, but I think that's what it is.
February 10, 2009 at 9:51 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
justthefacts (anonymous) says...
EmporiaMama,
Perhaps if people would be more supportive of paying and staffing the adequate numbers of animal control officers, they would stay. If you have called and nothing happens, have you followed up with a supervisor to find out why? I've had occasion to request assistance of animal control and the cops and they have always been responsive and courteous. I'm sure they are others who haven't had that experience, but if you don't inquire nothing changes.
February 10, 2009 at 10:52 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )