City Leaders to Hear 2013 Police Department Report
By Brandi Makuski
Leaders from SPPD on Monday night will present its 2013 annual report for the Stevens Point City Council.
According to the report, which was released Friday, detectives worked 472 new cases- compared with 705 in 2012- during 2013 but said those cases were more labor intensive and complex. The department executed 47 search warrants and 34 subpoenas for phone and other records.
The department’s Sensitive Crime Unit, which investigates sexual assault, unfit living conditions and child abuse, investigated 114 cases during the year, with most cleared through an arrest or referral to health and human services as required by law.
Detectives served 24 drug search warrants, resulting in 37 arrests with 41 felony and 48 misdemeanor charges, with one vehicle and nearly $20,000 in cash seized by the department. Three of those searches required SWAT Team deployment. Drug seized during the searches include marijuana , synthetic LSD, hash/hail oil, cocaine, psilocybin mushrooms, heroin and prescription medication.
Marijuana is still the most common drug in the community, but heroin abuse has spiked and caused four reported overdoses in 2013 and one death.
The department also reports a rise in employee theft and embezzlement are on the rise, with one local business reporting a loss of over $16,000.
The report shows domestic abuse cases spiked in 2013, with 62 reported cases as opposed to 19 reported the year before. At least some of those cases reflect a change in state law, according to the report.
OWI charges are also up from 2012.
The full report will be presented during the April Common Council meeting beginning at 7 PM inside the courthouse, 1516 Church Street, and is open to the public.