By Randy Pierce
[email protected]
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS – Activity for the Fairview Heights Police Department during 2020, which has included nearly four-and-a-half months of coronavirus pandemic conditions, has featured increases in some criminal actions and decreases in others, according to a recent report provided to the city council by Chief Chris Locke.
Since January of this year, there have been 12,423 computer-aided dispatch situations involving the local police department through the end of June, a reduction from 16,023 during the same time period in 2019, perhaps an indication that a long stretch of stay-at-home circumstances resulting from the pandemic caused these calls to go down.
As in each of these types of monthly reports provided to the local elected officials by Locke, the intent is only to provide a “snapshot of activity based upon computer aided dispatch data. As such, the statistics provided are not official. They are only intended to provide a general sense of crime in the community.”
Despite those numbers about dispatched calls, some types of crimes in the city, according to Locke, have gone up, but not by startling or significant amounts. These include car burglaries which totaled 47 this year compared to the first six months of 2019 when there were 37, the most recent figures compounded by a spree that took place in the east end of town this spring.
Also up this year were burglaries, which went to 19 compared to the 14 in the same period in 2019; but thefts, including shoplifting, were down from 383 from January through June of 2019 to 328 the same six months of 2020.
Only two robberies have been reported in June 2020 whereas there were five during June last year.
The number of vehicles stolen stayed the same at 17 for the first six month of both years but the non-domestic cases of aggravated assault and/or battery rose from 19 to 27, prompting speculation that the tension created by the pandemic contributed to the stresses that could have factored into these incidents.
Additionally, by the end of June in 2020, Fairview Heights Police had made the following totals of arrests based on the indicated offenses: driving under the influence – 41, fugitives at large – 97, cannabis – nine, weapons – 10, drug paraphernalia – one and controlled substances -14.
Locke further included in his report his acknowledgment of the hard work and dedicated service for what he believes was the only police department summer youth academy held in the region this year, marking the 46th in succession since it began in 1974 when the city was only five years old. For the first time in its history, the academy was held virtually with 10 participants.
Locke cited several individuals that made the event a success despite the presence of coronavirus restrictions, including School Resource Officers Jeff Hinson and Carleton Rivers, Community Service Officer Tina Bangaru and Drug Officer Tim Mueller.
These individuals “went above and beyond to create, coordinate and conduct the academy,” Locke said in his report.
“They did a fantastic job and I publicly thank them for it.”
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July 30, 2020 at 11:22PM
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Fairview Heights Police Activity Mixed During Pandemic Year - Herald Pubs
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