CPD report: Crime numbers down

The News-Democrat

Carrollton Police Chief Mike Willhoite presented the department’s annual report to City Council last month. The report shows the department had fewer officers in 2008 than in 2007, but completed a total of 760 hours of training.

The department was short one officer for the entire year and another officer for almost half of the year. Since then, Willhoite has hired two new officers who are in training at Eastern Kentucky University. Both officers are to return from training and be on the job by the end of June.

Nine officers completed   training last year on topics including federal law enforcement, elder-abuse investigations, homicide and prescription drug abuse, which were offered online. Officers also attended a child-abuse class, which was taught at the county commonwealth attorney’s office.

Willhoite said the state requires 40 hours of continuing training for all police officers.

Officer Daniel Embry logged the most training hours – 199 total in areas of  basic narcotics investigation, “cyber” or Internet crime investigation and a four-hour recertification class, which he completed online.

The report also states that overall calls for service were at 6,459 last year, compared with 7,571 calls in 2007.

The department boasts a 91 percent conviction rate in its 81 arrests of intoxicated drivers. Of those, 62 went through the court system to disposition; 56 resulted in DUI convictions.

There are several cases still pending, so that number could actually go up, Willhoite said.   

Willhoite said the department’s numbers were lower in 18 of the 27 crime categories tracked in the report. In the report, he attributes the decreased numbers to a depleted staff.

Willhoite also said the two Neighborhood Watch programs in Carrollton Village and Carrollton Housing Authority have decreased the number of calls in those areas. People are aware of the Neighborhood Watch groups in these locations, and criminal activity is down, he said.

Property-related cases were the highest criminal cases reported, with 71, almost double the 36 cases reported in 2007. Domestic violence cases were second, with 58 – two fewer than in the previous year.

Criminal mischief cases increased to 62 in ’08, up from 37 in ’07. Burglaries also increased by nine cases.

The report gives a comparison of Carroll, Owen and Grant counties, using figures provided by the Carroll County Commonwealth Attorney’s office.

According to those numbers, Carroll County had the highest felony indictments with 128;  Owen had 67; and Grant, 121.

Willhoite gave no direct correlation for the elevated numbers in Carroll County.

The department logged a total of 79,109 miles while on patroll and bought 6,092 gallons of gasoline.