The year-end report from the Devils Lake Police Department highlighted some significant changes.
The biggest was the change in leadership. When former Chief of Police Bruce Kemmet retired after 20 years of service, Keith Schroeder from the Grand Forks Police Department was hired to replace him.
Captain Jon Barnett led the department during the city's search for a successor until Schroeder took over in October.
Even though Barnett was a candidate for the Chief's position as well, he remained in close contact with Schroeder during the selection process.
“That was crucial, so in the event I received the appointment, I would be well informed on the issues the department was facing,” says Schroeder.
Schroeder added that there were some disturbing trends in the final year-end report.
Disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and assaults on police officers all had risen in 2008 and continued to do so last year.
There was also a spike in burglaries which was attributable to the rash of thefts in October that still remain unsolved.
Overall, however, Schroeder says burglaries have remained somewhat steady over the past three years.
Schroeder also added that a dramatic drop of ingesting a controlled substance (284 in 2008 to 92 in 2009) does not reflect reality.
It is an artificial drop and due to reporting methods, Schroeder notes.
“A majority of those cases are reported as a result of a positive test for controlled substances that is taken as a person is booked into the corrections center,” the new chief adds. “This is because marijuana ingestion is no longer being reported.”
Some other areas of interest. Minors in consumption climbed from 140 to 194, and resisting an officer and giving false information climbed significantly.
Curfew violations dropped from 40 to 19, and no liability insurance citations dropped from 142 to 100.
Accidents climbed from 338 to 372.
The number of detective hours worked climbed from 3,661 to 3,752 and recovered property values climbed from $6,276 to $21,196. Drugs recovered went from $900 to $12,980.
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The year-end report from the Devils Lake Police Department highlighted some significant changes.
The biggest was the change in leadership. When former Chief of Police Bruce Kemmet retired after 20 years of service, Keith Schroeder from the Grand Forks Police Department was hired to replace him.
Captain Jon Barnett led the department during the city's search for a successor until Schroeder took over in October.
Even though Barnett was a candidate for the Chief's position as well, he remained in close contact with Schroeder during the selection process.
“That was crucial, so in the event I received the appointment, I would be well informed on the issues the department was facing,” says Schroeder.
Schroeder added that there were some disturbing trends in the final year-end report.
Disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and assaults on police officers all had risen in 2008 and continued to do so last year.
There was also a spike in burglaries which was attributable to the rash of thefts in October that still remain unsolved.
Overall, however, Schroeder says burglaries have remained somewhat steady over the past three years.
Schroeder also added that a dramatic drop of ingesting a controlled substance (284 in 2008 to 92 in 2009) does not reflect reality.
It is an artificial drop and due to reporting methods, Schroeder notes.
“A majority of those cases are reported as a result of a positive test for controlled substances that is taken as a person is booked into the corrections center,” the new chief adds. “This is because marijuana ingestion is no longer being reported.”
Some other areas of interest. Minors in consumption climbed from 140 to 194, and resisting an officer and giving false information climbed significantly.
Curfew violations dropped from 40 to 19, and no liability insurance citations dropped from 142 to 100.
Accidents climbed from 338 to 372.
The number of detective hours worked climbed from 3,661 to 3,752 and recovered property values climbed from $6,276 to $21,196. Drugs recovered went from $900 to $12,980.
