Let’s talk about the Police and Fire Departments. The Police Department is currently 3 officers short and the Fire Department is 4 firefighters short. This temporary situation has helped our budget shortfall by reducing spending roughly $250,000. The inability to cover shifts at minimal staffing levels has created an excessive overtime issue, costing the city thousands of dollars. The city took advantage of the COPS Hiring Recovery Program in 2009, receiving $382,154, funding for 2 police officers at 100% for the first 3 years beginning this year, with the city picking up the expense after the third year. This grant will help to make the department whole and eliminate much of the need for overtime.
Our police department has done a good job operating under these tight constraints. Chief Terry Scherer has managed the department with a high level of integrity. Some of the accomplishments reported in 2009 were:
— The receipt of a $25,196 grant through the Dept. of Justice to fund updated mobile radios, file servers and some additional tasers.
— The purchase of 10 bulletproof vests meeting new state-mandated regulations, part of which was funded through a Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant.
— The participation in Big City/Big County, DUI: Taskforce Indiana and Fatality Crash Reduction Effort, which brought more than $60,000 in additional overtime funds into the department for traffic safety patrols.
The department continues to work closely with the public. Under Administrative Captain Julie Smith, a number of accomplishments in community policing and community involvement have contributed to crime reduction and public awareness:
— A 12-week Citizens Police Academy class was held with 10 citizens participating, covering 22 topics ranging from department organizational structure, community policing, handgun safety, traffic stops and enforcement, defensive tactics, taser demonstration, and a tour of the 911 Center.
— We initiated a community Graffiti Clean-up Program in cooperation with the Indiana Summit Boot Camp through the Indiana Dept. of Correction. This program involves no-cost labor to affected property owners as part of their restorative justice program.
— We conducted the annual Employee & Citizen Awards Program during Police Week, recognizing officers, employees and citizens who displayed exemplary actions in 2009.
— And spearheaded the first-time supervisory training for newly promoted sergeants.
The Patrol Division responded to 31,526 calls for service in 2009, an increase of more than 5.12%. Burglary and criminal mischief calls declined 33%, however, and vehicle theft declined 36%.
A few Fun Facts: Fridays are the busiest day of the week with 21.21% of calls coming in, while Sunday is the slowest with 12.63%. Friday is also the most dangerous day for crashes. (Friday is not a good day to go out!) Busiest hour is 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. and slowest is 5 a.m. to 6 a.m. Officers initiated 36% of the calls, and calls received via a telephone call were at 32%. On a whole, offenses were down by 13.99% and traffic citations were down 9.09%.
The Detective Bureau, under Chief of Detectives Paul Brettin, assigned 319 cases for investigation in 2009. Of those, approximately 104 led to arrests. Some of the major cases that were solved were the Best Western robbery and the Fifth/Third Bank robbery. Several counterfeiting/fraud cases were solved, along with many burglaries and thefts throughout the year.
With the increase in drug activity in the city, the department’s goal in 2010 is to focus on gang training for the department’s 7 new gang officers and provide mandatory training for all officers covering meth lab recognition and hazards. To further develop the quality of our officers, the department will be implementing job rotation and cross training by having one patrol officer assigned to the Detective Bureau for a 90-day tour of duty. This cross training is an important tool to help patrol officers identify key clues when responding to an incident.
Chief Scherer and I are pleased to announce that the LaPorte City Police Department will celebrate its 100th anniversary on March 1, 2010. In recognition, special badges replicating the 1910 6-point badge will be distributed to all officers of our department. Congratulations to the LaPorte Police Department.
Tight budgets have greatly affected the Fire Department. The ability to cover shifts became a serious issue in 2009. Fire Chief Rob Sabie reported the following statistics: The department responded to 1,973 calls for service, a 4% decrease from 2008. January was the busiest month with 194 calls, and August was the least busy with 148 calls. Nearly half of all calls were disbursed from the Central Fire Station on 18th Street. The 2nd Ward had the most calls at 565 or 28.63%, compared to the 5th Ward with the least at 279 or 14.14%.
Our in-house mechanics have proven to be a great asset to the city, keeping maintenance costs as low as possible. Our Quint No. 1 Truck needed repairs with the estimated cost at $51,000. These repairs were done in house for $3,000, saving the citizens of LaPorte $48,000 and putting the truck back in service within weeks as opposed to months. The inspection department was very busy in 2009, increasing inspections by 33%, an important part of the fire department and fire prevention.
As you know, a fire department doesn’t just fight fires. Public safety programs are an integral part of the department. One very important component to that was realized this past year with the delivery of our own Survive Alive House. This mobile structure, with simulated smoke and hot spots, is used in educating both children and adults on how to get out of a burning house.
The city took advantage of the SAFER Grant Program, applying for funding for 3 new firefighters at 100% for the first 2-year period, with the city picking up the cost in year three. The decision to take advantage of these kinds of grants is key to making the department whole and improving our quality of life, especially in these times. Our challenge will be the financial ability to retain these new officers and firefighters after the grants have expired.
READ THE REST of the 2010 State of the City under WNLP’s Local Government category.
