5607-R1_LGP_MechanicFalls_2016-17_AnualReport_Web

ANNUAL REPORT 2016-17 ANNUAL REPORT 2016-17 P RT 2016-17

Police Department The Mechanic Falls Police Department has been dealing with crimes at similar paces to years past. Crimes are reported to the appropriate State and Federal agencies as Two Groups; Part A Crimes with sub Groups of Crimes Against Persons, Crimes Against Property and Crimes Against Society, and Part B Crimes. The Group A Crimes Against Persons include Rape, Fondling, Assault, Intimidation and Statutory Rape. We saw an overall decrease this year of 26%. The two areas of interest are simple assaults being down 71% (24 in 2016 and 7 in 2017). The other area is Intimidation being up 30%. The Group A Crimes Against Property saw an 11% decrease with a total of 50 crimes reported in this area. That is 6 fewer than 2016. The Group A Crimes Against Society saw a 44% decrease with the 60% decrease in Drug and Drug equipment violations. This decrease is largely due to the legalization of marijuana. Our Group B Crimes have seen a 5% increase. The Driving Under the Influence cases have nearly doubled from 14 in 2016 to 22 in 2017. I am happy to report that the overall Crime Rate is down this year in Mechanic Falls. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday were the days of the week with the highest reporting of Offenses to be investigated. The police department handled calls during every hour of the 24-hour period during the year. Although the call volume is lower we still have calls for service through the early AM hours of the day. We are often first on scene for Rescue calls as well. It means a great deal to the person in medical distress, who often is all alone, to have that officer with them. We are usually able to do things when we get on scene to help expedite the process for when the Rescue personnel do arrive. This helps to get the patient the care they need in a faster manner. The other side of that is we are there to protect our Rescue personnel as they never know what kind of a situation they are walking into in the middle of the night when there are often only 1 or 2 of them. We have again had a strong number of traffic violations in town. We made 1094 vehicle stops for traffic violations and issued 215 citations. 879 warnings were issued. We have been very generous by giving motorists warnings. Our goal is for motorists to comply with laws on their own without issuing a ticket. We are very aware that the fines for traffic violations are expensive and many people cannot afford to pay the fine and make ends meet at home. We hope that they take that into consideration before violating the traffic laws. I get calls every week from our citizens requesting traffic enforcement on their streets for various reasons. We are out there doing the job we are supposed to do. Please OBEY TRAFFIC LAWS. We handled 88 Crashes (Increase of 10 over last year). November (14) and February (12) were the two highest months for crashes. Pleasant Street (18) had the highest number of crashes. As always, I encourage the citizens to be actively involved in the safety of your community and report crimes or suspicious activity. We are a 24/7/365 Police Department. You may not find anyone at our office located in the Town Office on the 3 rd floor but there is always an Officer on duty. The Androscoggin Sheriffs’ Department provides our dispatching. If you call them when you need an officer they will dispatch a Mechanic Falls Police Officer to the call. Thank you for your support. Please do your part to keep our town safe. Jeffrey Goss, Chief of Police Police Department The Mechanic ls li ling with crimes at similar paces to years past. Crimes are report t t r l agencies as Two Groups; Part A Crimes with sub Groups of Crim s i t i i st roperty and Crimes Against Society, and Part B Crimes. The Group A Crimes i t r i l ape, Fondling, As ault, Intimidation and Statutory Rape. We saw an overall decrease t is y r f . he t o areas of interest are simple assaults being down 71% (24 in 2016 and 7 in 2017). he other area is Intimidation being up 30%. The Group A Crimes Against Property saw an 11 decrease with a total of 50 crimes reported in this area. That is 6 fewer than 2016. The Group A Crimes Against Society saw a 44% decrease with the 60% decrease in Drug and Drug equipment violations. This decrease is largely due to the legalization of marijuana. Our Group B Crimes have seen a 5% increase. The Driving Under the Influence cases have nearly doubled from 14 in 2016 to 22 in 2017. I am happy to report that the overall Crime Rate is down this year in Mechanic Falls. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday were the days of the week with the highest reporting of Offenses to be investigated. The police department handled calls during every hour of the 24-hour period during the year. Although the call volume is lower we still have calls for service through the early AM hours of the day. We are often first on scene for Rescue calls as well. It means a great deal to the person in medical distress, who often is all alone, to have that officer with the . We are usually able to do things when we get on scene to help expedit the process for when the R scue personnel do rrive. This helps to get the patient the care they need in a faster manner. The other side of that is w are ther to protect our Rescue personnel s they nev r k ow what kind of a situation they are walking into in the middl of the night when there are oft n only 1 or 2 of t em. We have again had a strong number of traffic violations in town. We made 1094 vehicle stops for traffic violations nd issued 215 citations. 879 warnings were i sued. We have be n very g nerou by giv ng mo orists warnings. Our goal s for motorists to comply with laws on their own without issuing a ticket. We are very aware that the fines for traffic violati ns are expensive and many people cannot afford to p y th fine nd m ke nds meet at home. We hope that they take that into consid ratio before violating the tr ffic laws. I get calls every w ek from our citizens requ sting traffi enforceme t on their streets for various re sons. We are out there doing the job we are suppo ed to do. Pl ase OBEY TRAFFIC LAWS. We handled 88 Crashes (Increase of 10 over last year). November (14) and F bruary (12) were the two hig est months for crashes. Pleasant Street (18) had the highest number of crashes. As always, I encourage the citizens to be actively involved in the safety of your community and report crimes or suspicious activity. We are a 24/7/365 Police Department. You may not find anyone at our office located in the Town Office on the 3 rd floor but there is always an Officer on duty. The Androscoggin Sheriffs’ Department provides our dispatching. If you call them when you need an officer they will dispatch a Mechanic Falls Police Officer to the call. Thank you for your support. Please do your part to keep our town safe. Jeffrey Goss, Chief of Police

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