2009 CPD report reveals fewer calls

Overall service calls down 23 percent this year, traffic citations and school arrests up over 2008 numbers

By BECKY THOMAS

Staff Reporter

The Cheney Police Department had a relatively quiet December, while year-to-date comparisons revealed some changes in the department's Monthly Accountability Report.

Calls for service for all of 2009 were down 23 percent over 2008, while reports were down just 5 percent.

Cmdr. Rick Campbell attributes the call slowdown to the department's focus on sector-based policing.

“My own interpretation of the data is that, while we got called less often, we got called more often to police-related issues,” he said, adding that residents may be more educated on when they should and shouldn't involve the police in an incident.

Campbell said the reduced calls allowed officers to spend more time on traffic and parking enforcement in the city, which was reflected in the numbers. Citations were up 24 percent in 2009 and contacts were up 9 percent.

“They're able to be more proactive and go out and do more traffic enforcement,” he said. “Where they are no longer doing directed activity—go to this call and take this report—they are more able to use that in a productive, non-directed manner.”

Drug arrests were unchanged in 2009, and alcohol enforcement was down 20 percent. Campbell said the department's stance against underage drinkers may be limiting their options.

“I don't believe that we've eliminated underage drinking by any sense of the imagination,” he said. “But I do believe that what we've done is we've made them stay in their house, where they're not out creating malicious mischief violations and thefts and assaults and those types of things.”

School arrests jumped in 2009 to 50 from 34 in 2008, while dispatched calls were down 6 percent. Campbell said the increase in arrests didn't concern him, but rather showed that school officials were working with the school resource officer to eliminate problems.

The Cheney Police Department ended the year 6.2 percent under budget. Campbell credited the sergeants for keeping overtime to a minimum to balance with an increase in maintenance costs. Unexpected fixes to vehicles and buildings put the department's maintenance budget over by 17 percent.

Campbell said the department is hoping to secure some of the budget savings to start an IT replacement fund to buy new computers and other technology.

Also in December, Cheney dispatchers were trained in the county-wide Emergency Notification System, which Campbell described as “reverse 911.” The system sends out prerecorded messages to residents affected by an emergency.

Campbell said the system would be especially useful in case of wildfires near city limits, road closures or extreme weather. Chief Jeff Sale is on the county 911 board, which is in the process of developing a policy for the system.

Becky Thomas can be reached at [email protected].