Sean C. Morgan
The Sweet Home Police Department reached the highest call load in its history in 2014, with 9,690 requests for service.
The total eclipses the 2005 record of 9,547, but the 2014 figure includes code enforcement complaints, while 2005 does not. The Police Department took over code enforcement in August 2013.
The lowest number of calls since 2005 was in 2012, with 7,764.
Even pulling out code enforcement complaints, said Police Chief Jeff Lynn, the number of calls for 2014 will be higher than in 2013, with 8,416.
The number of law enforcement calls didn’t reach 2005 levels, Lynn said, but “unfortunately, we’re coming closer to those types of numbers.”
With the department’s annual report, detailed statistics about crime and code enforcement will be available.
“I’m hoping by the end of the month, our intent is to have the annual report done,” Lynn said.
Handling calls in 2014 were the code enforcement officer and 14 sworn police officers, including the chief, two sergeants and a detective.
“That’s definitely a heavy call load,” Lynn said. “What it does, when call loads get to a certain point, it minimizes the self-initiated activities (officers) can do.”
Officers are still getting some of that in, with officers getting out and being visible on patrol, Lynn said. “It’s a little easier at night.”
“Drugs are driving the crime,” he said. “You can combine that with unemployment. That’s where crime is coming from.”
Lynn said he hasn’t done actual research on it, but he believes those are obvious factors. The past six months, the department’s detective has been heavily focused on drugs, while working other kinds of cases as necessary.
Coming up this year, Lynn is trying to find a way to get a school resource officer back into School District 55, he said. He has had some preliminary discussions with the district, and it seems to be moving forward.
It will probably be the subject of further discussion when budget season rolls around in the spring, he said.