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Pualski Police Department
2010 Annual Report
Introduction
The Pulaski Police Department was the fifty-eighth law enforcement agency in the Commonwealth of Virginia to be accredited by the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission (VLEPSC). A law enforcement agency being awarded accredited status, demonstrates that the organization is in compliance with professional standards of operation as promulgated by the Commission.
The Department responded to 23,192 Calls for Service in 2010. This total is 130 more situations than last year. The following information is a summary of the agency's performance and service volume during calendar year 2010.
Summary of Criminal Offenses and Calls for Service Activity
The agency investigated 1,087 Group A (serious felony, i.e. burglary, arson, assault, drugs, homicide, etc.) offenses during the past year. This figure represents a decrease of reported criminal acts of 152 offenses or 12.27% when compared to calendar year 2009. Personnel solved 465 of these crimes resulting in a clearance rate of 42.8%.
The Calls for Service Report details citizen requests for police services or other circumstances that consume agency resources. This data reports that the agency responded to 23,322 incidents or situations last year. This figure represents an increase of 130 (00.56%) from 2009.
The agency had an overall average response time of 1.65 minutes per call. This period represents the elapsed time from when the Communications Center initially receives the complaint, their notification of the assigned patrol officer(s), and the amount of time required for the first officer to arrive at the location of the incident. The average time period that officers devoted to each call was 18.45 minutes.
SUMMARY OF DIVISION ACTIVITIES
UNIFORM PATROL DIVISION
The Uniform Patrol Division handled 23,322 calls for service in the year 2010. Inclusive of these calls, officers responded to 159 domestic calls, 438 business escorts, 206 bank/burglar alarms, 254 larceny complaints, 161 property damage/vandalism complaints, 613 motorists assisted, 34 shots fired calls, 7 robberies, and 61 burglaries. Officers also served 128 Emergency Custody and Temporary Detention Orders for mental illness and made numerous transports to mental illness facilities throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia
Patrol officers issued 1,254 traffic summonses and 650 warning tickets. In addition, officers served 968 arrest warrants and 24 criminal summonses. There were seven incidents last year where officers were assaulted while discharging their duties.
In 2010, the Patrol Division responded to a total of 246 motor vehicle accidents. Seventy (28.46%) of these traffic crashes were reportable to the Division of Motor Vehicles with 25 of these accidents involving personal injuries and two fatalities. Driver actions that contributed to the accidents were identified as:
Did not have right of way 12 (17.14%)
Following too closely 10 (14.29%)
Failure to maintain proper control 14 (20.00%)
No improper action 5 (7.14%)
Disregard traffic signal 5 (7.14%
Exceed speed limit 1 (1.43%)
Hit & Run 3 (4.29%)
Improper turn from wrong lane 2 (2.86%)
Wrong side of road-not overtaking 2 (2.86%)
Improper or unsafe lane change 2 (2.86%)
Avoiding other vehicle 2 (2.86%)
In addition, nine (12.86%) of the reportable crashes involved a driver that was determined to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION
Criminal Investigations
Last year, detectives and patrol officers cleared 439 cases by arrest. Twenty-six cases were solved by a means other than arresting the perpetrator. They also assisted other communities with crimes within their jurisdictions that resulted in several cases being solved. Examples of the types of investigations conducted and the number of those incidents are listed below:
· Two Hundred Fifty-four (254) Grand Larcenies
· Eight (8) Larceny of Vehicles
· One hundred fifty-two (152) cases of Fraud & Forgery
· Sixty-one (61) Burglaries
· Nine (9) Sexual Assaults
· Ninety-nine (99) Assaults
· Seven (7) Robberies
· Six (6) Kidnapping/Abductions
SUPPORT SERVICES DIVISION
Dispatch Personnel
Emergency communications personnel are tasked with being the emergency E-911 and informational point of contact for the members of our community and other professional agencies. Police dispatchers constitute a vital link to the sworn personnel of the Police Department as well. This office is staffed 24 hours a day. There are only six full time employees that are allocated to handle the volume of telephone calls from the public and the emergency radio communications of our agency's police officers. Dispatchers answered 52,184 telephone calls last year. These calls included 4,618 E-911 emergency calls.
Records Unit
The Records Manager is responsible for computer entry and the filing of the majority of reports and other documents that are generated by agency activities. During the past year, 2,234 reports were processed, 1,778 citations of various types entered into the computer database, and 231 parking tickets received. This unit also generates various reports and information that is required for agency planning, field services operations, accreditation compliance, and crime analysis.
Crime Prevention
Pulaski Police Department has allocated one person to the primary responsibility of being a Crime Prevention Officer. This office is responsible for various crime prevention programs and informational events within our community. The agency has also embarked upon the process to have our town recognized as a certified crime prevention community.
Complaints
During the 2010 calendar year, the Department investigated seven complaints against agency personnel. The disposition of those complaints is as follows:
- Exonerated – Officer’s actions justified - 2 (28.57%)
- Not Sustained – Insufficient Evidence to prove or disprove complaint - 1 (14.29%)
- Sustained – Allegations supported by sufficient evidence 4 (57.14%)
- Unfounded – Allegations determined to be false – 0 (00%)
· Total 7
Goals and Objectives for 2010
- Successfully complete reaccreditation process with the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission.
Status: Completed
- Replace antiquated radio repeater equipment at the alternate emergency communications site.
Status: Completed
- Train additional certified instructors within the Emergency Communications staff for basic and advanced VCIN.
Status: Completed
- Establish Field Training Manual and updated procedures for Emergency Communications personnel.
Status: Completed
- All Emergency Communications personnel to attend Critical Incident training.
Status: Completed
- Procure all communications equipment necessary to comply with the Federal Communications Agency’s mandate for radio narrow banding.
Status: Completed
- Staff the Crime Prevention position.
Status: Completed
- Initiate the process for the Town to become a Certified Crime Prevention Community.
Status: Continuing
- Institute blight elimination program within the Department.
Status: Completed
- Increase traffic safety selective enforcement activity by 10%.
Status: Not attained
- Target quality of life concerns within the community;
a. Strict enforcement of littering offenses
b. Strict enforcement of loud noise/music
Status: Not attained
12. Implement the Traffic Record Electronic Data System (TREDS).
Status: Completed
13. Establish cooperative agreement with neighboring jurisdictions regarding the sharing of Crime Scene Technicians and equipment.
Status: Completed
Goals and Objectives for 2011
- Review General Orders Manual and update as required
- Review and restructure agency Organizational Chart
- Create new agency Vision Statement
- Formulate a progressive training model for all employees
- Replace film camera system for crime scene photography with digital equipment
- Establish four neighborhood watch groups
- Reduce the incidences of traffic accidents involving alcohol/drugs fifty percent by concentrated selective enforcement activities and public education initiatives
- Research funding opportunities for in-car computer reporting system
- Complete installation of Roanoke Area Criminal Justice Information Network (RACJIN)
COMMUNITY EVENTS
The Department participated in numerous community events last year. These included:
Fire Parade Fourth of July Celebration
Pulaski Fest After Prom Party Security
Special Olympics Meadowview Apts. Kids Day
Business Ribbon Cuttings Chamber of Commerce Youth Excel Program
Christmas Parade Chamber of Commerce After Hours
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
The Department has numerous partnerships with community organizations. These associations include:
Pulaski Community Partners Coalition Pulaski County Coordinating Council
Local Emergency Planning Committee Clean Community Council
Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program Regional Information Sharing System (RACJIN)
Virginia Crime Prevention Association
I appreciate your time and interest in reviewing this summary of agency service and activity during the past year. I would also like to express my thanks to all of the men and women of the Department who perform these vital services for our community. We are fortunate to have this group of dedicated professionals that are willing to respond to any situation regardless of the nature of the incident or the tragedy involved.
Sincerely,
G. W. Roche
Chief of Police
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