GRINNELL POLICE DEPARTMENT

CITY OF GRINNELL, IOWA

Interoffice

MEMORANDUM

FROM: Jody Matherly, Chief of Police                                     DATE:  March 9, 2010    

TO: Honorable Mayor Gordon Canfield

        Honorable City Council

        Russell Behrens, City Manager

        Citizens of the City of Grinnell

SUBJECT: Grinnell Police Department 2009 Annual Report

Welcome to a summary of crime statistics, initiatives and program highlights for the Grinnell Police Department in 2009.

This year was very busy building the new Public Safety Building at 1020 Spring Street, funded in part by the Local Option Sales Tax. The architect firm is FEH of Des Moines and general contractor is Woodruff Construction of Fort Dodge. The Mayor’s Public Safety Building Task Force, comprised of 15 members of our community, has been a great help on this project. As I write this report, we are settled into the new building, having moved from the old building at 611- 4^th Ave on January 19^th. Moving from a 9,100 sf, 50 year old facility to a brand new 31,000 sf/$6.3 million facility is incredible. We are very grateful to the community for their support as this building will proudly serve the community for the next 50 years.

            Before (old Fareway Grocery)                 After (new PSB)

The city and county continue to plan and implement a combined communications (dispatch) center. Presently, Grinnell dispatches its own Police and Fire services while the Poweshiek County Sheriff’s Office dispatches all other cities and rural areas. With the goal of increasing efficiency of resources for improved operations, the dispatching will be done at the Sheriff’s office. The target date for implementation is May, 2010.

The Poweshiek County Emergency Management Agency Office (EMA) office moved from our old public safety building to the new Poweshiek County Sheriff’s Office in January, 2010. EMA coordinator Karen Meek continues to assist us with training, planning and resources during large scale incidents.

Ofc. Jeremy Stevenson received the Sullivan Brothers Award for Valor from Iowa Governor Chet Culver. This was in recognition for his heroic actions in saving the life of another while placing himself at a great personal risk when he responded to a house fire.

We maintain current information on our city/police webpage (www.grinnelliowa.gov). The information includes an introduction of staff, a “daily blotter” (details the current calls for service we respond to) and current job openings. There are links to road conditions, weather maps and other useful information. I invite you to visit this useful site.

STAFFING:

The Grinnell Police Department is currently budgeted for 17 employees (15 sworn police officers and 2 civilian employees). Of the 15 sworn, there is one (1) Chief of Police, one (1) Captain, two (2) Sergeants and eleven (11) Police Officers. We have remained fully staffed for the past 2 years.

The employees are assigned as follows:

Chief and Captain- Day shift handling departmental administration, planning, coordinating, and special projects as well as responsibility of overall operations.

Sergeants- One (1) assigned to each 12-hour day and night patrol shift handling first-line departmental administration and shift personnel (2 Sergeants total).

Police Officers- Nine (9) assigned to 12-hour patrol shifts (9 police officers total).

Traffic Safety Officer (TSO) – One (1) assigned to focus on identifying violators of traffic laws and take appropriate action, with the goal of ultimately reducing the number of traffic crashes that occur in our community. This officer will also be trained in advanced crash investigation and is the coordinator for traffic enforcement grants, the speed trailer, and other traffic oriented initiatives and equipment. (10^th police officer)  

Task Force Officer- One police officer assigned to the Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement (MINE) Task Force (11^th police officer).

Civilians- one police Administrative Assistant/Dispatcher and one Dictation Clerk (2 total).

CRIME:

We experienced a decrease of 9% in overall reported crime for 2009. Some of the more significant increases were seen in controlled substances cases and disturbance calls. We saw a decrease in most other categories. Those statistics are detailed later in this report.

The statistical portion of this report was primarily generated from our in-house computer system, utilizing Sleuth Records Management System (RMS), Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) systems and Officer’s Daily Activity Log.

Calls for service (combined citizen generated and officer initiated activity such as request for police assistance, incident [crime] reports, arrests, traffic crash reports and citations and parking tickets issued) for 2009 was 9963, a 6% decrease over 2008.  The all time high for calls for service in Grinnell is 11,553 in 2001. These variations are caused by several factors, including the crime rate, number of officers employed and reporting accuracy. The average calls for service for the past five years are 10,285.

Incident reports (criminal cases) filed and investigated in 2009 decreased by 9%, with 1,335 crimes reported. These account for all reportable crimes in Grinnell. In the past 20 years, the all time high is 1,523 cases in 1998 and the low was 985 in 2002. The number of reported crimes appears to have risen dramatically in 1994 (from 744 in 1993 to 1244 in 1994), but in reality it was in large part due to new technology allowing for more accurate statistics. The average number of crimes reported in the past five years is 1,381.

There were 99 narcotics cases in 2009, an increase of 46%. Drug use and sales is a nexus for many other crimes in the United States. Grinnell is not a safe haven from this problem, but we continue to take a proactive approach to reduce the occurrences. We continue to see the theft and abuse of prescription drugs.  Resources at the Mid-Iowa Narcotics Task Force (MINE) are being used to combat the war on drugs. MINE is a position that Grinnell officer Fred Foreman is assigned to via the Byrne JAG (Justice Assistances Grants). This grant funds 75% of the officer’s salary and benefits and we are appreciative of the support it provides. I would be remiss not to commend Lt. Eric Nation of the Jasper Co Sheriff’s Office for his successful leadership of our MINE officer.

There were 718 arrests in 2009, an increase of 6% from 2008.

There were 61 juveniles arrested (some with multiple offenses charged) in 2009, a 27% decrease from 2008. In the past several years, the high was 183 juvenile arrests in 2000. The following are a breakdown of some of the juvenile offenses: 13 for Alcohol Offenses (Public Intoxication, Possession Under Legal Age), 6 for Drugs, 9 for Curfew and 1 for Tobacco. Several were charged with Burglary. Others were charged with Theft, Assault, Destruction, Interference with Official Acts or serious violations of motor vehicle laws.

There are no discernible patterns in any of the crimes occurring in Grinnell, although any increase is of concern. Many issues factor in to determine crime patterns and the resources necessary to prevent it. We pride our officers in dealing with the small problems before they become bigger. Proven methods such as community policing and problem-solving policing, coupled with aggressive enforcement efforts are the key to keeping the crime rate low. We have focused on reaching out to the community to reinforce that we need to be partners in reducing crime, as well as educating our schools, our citizens and our businesses on what they can do to help.

TRAFFIC SAFETY:

Traffic citations increased 16% from 938 in 2008 to 1090 in 2009. There were 415 written warnings for traffic violations given in 2009. There are also many verbal warnings that officers sometimes issue in lieu of citations. By issuing warnings, the officers are taking enforcement action by giving the motorist a chance to make their own corrective action, part of the discretion officers use on a daily basis.

There was a 6% decrease in vehicle crashes causing property damage this year, with 185 occurring. Injury accidents increased by 27%, from 22 to 28. There were 38 hit and run crashes, a decrease of 22%. Some crashes may not be reported to the state (according to statistical reporting criteria) because they are considered “minor damage” or the incident may occur on private property. There were no fatal crashes or critical-injury accidents in our city in 2009.

We continue to receive grant funds from the Governor’s Highway Traffic Safety Bureau, Iowa Department of Public Safety. This special Traffic Enforcement Program (s.T.E.P.) grant has been awarded to us for the past few years. It is used for traffic enforcement projects, especially around the holidays and other events where a there is a likelihood of violations.

Since 2005, we continue utilize a speed trailer to deter speeding motorists. This device uses a radar unit to tell the motorist their speed, as well as displaying the posted speed limit. When an officer isn’t available to identify violators of traffic laws, the trailer does the job. It also gathers data of vehicle frequency and speed, thereby allowing us to target enforcement in problem areas when the violations are occurring. This is an example of using technology to free up our officers (a limited resource) for other duties.

Officers made 50 Operating While Intoxicated (OWI) arrests in 2009, up from 37 in 2008. Considering nearly 50% of all fatal crashes involve the use of alcohol, enforcing OWI laws is an important mission. Our department will continue to train all officers in OWI enforcement.

There were 1291 parking tickets issued in 2009, up from 1674 in 2008. Parking violations can cause vision obstructions, jeopardize pedestrian safety (especially near schools and college campuses) and hamper snow removal efforts. Parking regulations are enforced on a consistent and fair basis.

A new Grinnell city code was fully adopted in 2007. It now encompasses most traffic laws and some minor criminal offenses. Now the City of Grinnell receives 90% of all fines written under city code. This helps off-set the costs of enforcement efforts. Previously, the State of Iowa received the money.  

RESERVE POLICE OFFICERS:

The Grinnell Police Reserve Unit was led this year by Officer Michael Dickenson and Officer Joe Meyer. Presently there are three (3) reserves. Two (2) more are being hired as this report is written. They achieve many hours of training each year that is mandated by the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) to maintain their State of Iowa reserve certification. The unit continues to hold monthly meetings. They assist with the many events such as: July 4^th, Happy Days, Homecoming parade and Ag Days. They also provide security for High School sporting events and activities. The reserves are a valuable asset to our department and we continue to seek qualified and civic minded individuals to join this team.

TRAINING:

Training of our entire staff remains a priority for the police department. There are mandatory training requirements put in place by the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy and recertification hours for instructors to maintain their abilities to teach. We continue to exceed those requirements.

Captain Petersen coordinates the training division.   

Officers spent 1417 hours on in-service training in 2009. We conduct both in-house training by utilizing our own instructors and local expertise as well as send officers and civilian employees to training at other locations.

Sgt Chris Wray and Sgt Ben Anderson graduated from the Northwestern University First Line Supervisor School in Chicago, IL. This leadership and police management school is a university-based education program intended for police supervisors.

TACTICAL TEAM:

The Grinnell Police Department Warrant Service Entry Team merged with the Poweshiek County Sheriff’s Office in 2005 to form the Poweshiek County Joint Response Task Force (PCJRTF). This team provides more manpower during critical incidents and expands the role of the team from warrant service to include other critical incidents such as terrorist attacks, hostage or barricaded person calls or disasters. This includes additional Tactical training and updating response plans. Team leaders attended advanced training in the Fall, 2008. All team members attended advanced training in the Spring, 2009. A marksman/observer (MO) program was instituted into the team this year. Ofc. Jepson holds the MO position.

CRIME PREVENTION:

The department continues to work with the community in crime prevention programs and methods. It is our responsibility to foster the relationships with our community and businesses that builds these successful programs. Our programs are the strongest they have been in many years with Ofc. Kary Kinmonth leading the crime prevention efforts. He is assisted by Ofc. Jeremy Stevenson and all other officers have also contributed. We continue to provide safety assessments for businesses and residences. We are also involved in many coalitions and committees such as Grinnell College Parking Committee, Poweshiek County Healthy Choices, New Horizons Advisory Board, Poweshiek County DVA/SAC Coalition and others. The department spent many hours on crime prevention programs, many of them highlighted below.

ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS AND PROGRAMS

• Hosted Grinnell’s Seventh Annual National Night Out (NNO) program with the Grinnell Optimist Club. NNO is a police and community partnership that is designed to:
• Heighten crime and drug prevention awareness
• Generate support for and participation in anticrime programs
• Strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships
• Send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back

Pat Hatting and Ofc. Kary Kinmonth were the co-chairs of this event.

·         Held the Sixth Annual Shop with a Cop program with Wal-Mart and the Grinnell Chamber of Commerce as sponsors and assisted by the Grinnell Middle School staff. This program helps deserving children enjoy their holidays and gives officers and children an opportunity to spend time together which fosters relationships that will last a long time.

• The Davis Area Neighborhood Watch continues to operate by citizens living in that area. Ofc. Stevenson is assigned as their liaison.

• Conducted periodic bicycle and foot patrol operations in the downtown area, residential neighborhoods and at Grinnell College, promoting community interaction and deterring crime through high visibility. Bicycle patrols were increased from 20 in 2008 to over 400 in 2009. We have a total of four (5) bicycles.

• Continued participation in the Mid-Iowa Narcotics Task Force (MINE). Our drug task force officer does presentations to various groups (schools, businesses, etc) on narcotics issues.

• The nuisance animal enforcement effort continues to raise owner awareness with the goal of voluntary compliance of city animal laws. This assignment is coordinated by Ofc. Steve Peek. Enforcing the animal license requirement on a consistent basis keeps animals accounted for and encourages owners to be more responsible. The Northside Vet Clinic is our city shelter.

• Participated in the Grinnell City Public Safety Committee.

• The evidence and property room was managed by Sgt. Anderson and Ofc. Johnson.

• Capt. Petersen is a certified Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.) instructor and handles the department’s work schedule, quartermaster, special events. She also works in a liaison capacity with Grinnell Schools and Grinnell College.

• Ofc. Jepson is a defensive tactics, ASP (baton) and PR 24 (baton) instructor. He also serves as the department’s firearms instructor. 

• Chief Matherly serves as the Mayor’s designee for the County E-911 Board and alternate for Emergency Management Board. He serves as secretary for the Iowa Police Chief’s Association (formerly Iowa Police Executive Forum) and is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

• Ofc. Foreman is a member of the Midwest Gang Association, an organization devoted to identifying gangs and sharing intelligence on gang members and activities. He is assigned to the MINE task force. 

• Ofc. Fricke and Ofc. Johnson are the union stewards for the patrolman’s union. They are a vital part of the overall process in labor relations. A 3-year Collective Bargaining Agreement was negotiated in 2007.

• Ofc. Gray is the department fleet coordinator, ensuring the police vehicles are well maintained. Ofc. Stevenson assists. 

• Ofc. Gray is assigned as the Traffic Safety Officer which handles traffic enforcement, the speed trailer and other traffic related duties. 

• Continued the criminal investigator position as agreed upon in the Grinnell Police Officers’ Collective Bargaining Agreement. Inv. Fricke is presently assigned to that duty.

• Facilitated many tours of the police and fire departments to various groups and individuals.

• Maintained our Internet website (linked to www.grinnelliowa.gov) current by using it for special projects, the hiring process, traffic/weather condition links and calls for service information. Sgt Anderson is our webmaster.

• Chief Matherly maintained contact with Grinnell College administrators and security managers. The working relationship and communication with the college staff and students continues to be excellent.

• Worked on projects and enhanced a strong relationship with Grinnell Regional Medical Center.

• The State of Iowa conducted the annual inspection of our holding facilities (jail). The jail administrator is Capt. Theresa Petersen.

• Ofc. Fricke continues to work on the proposal for a police/fire memorial for our fellow police/fire fallen comrades. It may be erected in or near the new public safety building. He proposed that the police association, fire volunteers and the city all partner in this tribute to those who have given their lives protecting our citizens. This project continues.

• We continue to support PALS (Poweshiek Animal League Shelter) by attending their activities when possible and working with them on animal issues.  

• Continued participation in the Grinnell Middle School Olweus Bully Prevention Program and other programs. Ofc. Kinmonth maintains a strong presence in all our schools and is well respected by both staff and students.  

• Other presentations and talks:

Department Command Structure December 2009

Calls for Service Summary

                        *generated from officers’ daily activity reports

Total Calls for Service 5 Year Comparison

Percentage Difference 08-09 = -6%

Cases Investigated 5 Year Comparison

Percentage Difference 08-09 = -9%

Calls For Service By Type 2009

Incidents by Type 2009

Case Reports 20 Year Comparison

Percentage Difference 08-09= -9%

Incidents by Officer 2009

Incidents – By Property Type  2009

Incidents Cleared By Investigator 2009

Arrests 2009

Percentage Difference 08-09= +6%

Investigations By Type 2009

Percentage Difference 08-09 = -9%

Percentage Difference 08-09 = +46%

Percentage Difference 08-09 = -7%

Percentage Difference 08-09= -6%

Percentage Difference 08-09 = -70%

RESPONSE TIMES

Citations 2009

Parking Tickets 2009

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