Blackwell P.D. Stats: Crime down in 2019

Blackwell Chief of Police Dewayne Wood began February's first City Council meeting with a brief glimpse at the Blackwell Police Department's 2019 annual report. Wood presents the report every year, detailing the city’s statistics.

“On behalf of the men and women of the Blackwell Police Department, I am honored to present our 2019 annual report,” Wood said. “I am privileged to work with these great men and women who serve the City of Blackwell, and we are very blessed to be part of this great community. I am very proud of the members of the Blackwell Police Department and the reputation they have earned for contributing to the quality of life our community enjoys.

“I would first like to say ‘Thank you’ to City Manager Janet Smith for her continued and unwavering support she has demonstrated to our police department over the past year. I would also like to thank Mayor Greenfield and the rest of the City Council for their support of our staff. It helps having engaged leaders who appreciate the hard work from the men and women of our department.

“I want to say ‘Thank you’ to my staff. The men and women who represent our department are true professionals dedicated to serving the noble cause of policing and emergency service. They are willing to run towards danger while others run away. They risk their lives for people they have never met and may never know. Their schedules require they work weekends, holidays, and overnight when most of our community is sleeping. They are true service-minded individuals committed to the welfare and safety of this community.”

Wood concluded his opening remarks by saying: “To our community, our success is only possible with the support of you, our residents, businesses, and elected officials. The trust that our community has in our agency generates an enormous responsibility. When used properly, it results in a partnership that benefits us all, and I thank you for that.”

HIGHLIGHTS

The police department is manned by 15 sworn officers, one reserve officer, one full-time animal control officer, one part-time ACO, five dispatchers, one part-time dispatcher, and a part-time custodian.

2019 highlights for the department include the February capture of Luis Frias, who was wanted and tried for the 2013 murder of Janett Reyna, a former Blackwell police officer.

Highlights also included: RCB Bank and Wheatheart Nutrition delivering donuts and baked goods for Law Enforcement Appreciation Day; a career fair hosted by Northern Oklahoma College and the Kaw Nation Domestic Violence Program; and the Kaw Nation’s teen dating violence prevention event.

The Blackwell Fraternal Order of Police was recognized as the Chamber of Commerce's Business of the Month in March. Wood recognized Lt. John Mitchell, who received two awards from the Oklahoma Association of Narcotics Enforcers in May. He also recognized Officer Kayla Green for graduating the Oklahoma Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training Basic Police Academy.

STATISTICS

The total number of traffic accidents was up from 66 in 2018 to 82 in 2019. The number of assaults dropped from 93 in 2018 to 69 in 2019. Burglaries were down from 72 in 2018 to 41 in 2019.

Charges of driving under the influence declined from 31 in 2017 to 28 in 2018. In 2019, there were fewer than 20.

Along with DUIs decreasing, public intoxication complaints were down from 43 in 2018 to 31 in 2019. Similarly, drug and narcotics charges dropped from nearly 200 in 2018 to 116 in 2019.

Larceny charges were down from 70 in 2018 to 45 in 2019. Emergency orders of detention, where a person is immediately detained if deemed a threat to themselves or others, were down from 60 in 2018 to 43 in 2019.

Reports of runaways were down by almost half, with only nine in 2019. A decrease in stolen vehicle charges was reported, with only seven such charges in 2019. Vandalism complaints were down to 33 in 2019, compared to 56 in 2018.

Wood noted that, with significant drops in various charges, arrests would be down, too. The department made 315 arrests in 2019, a sharp decline from the 380 arrests made in 2018. Traffic stops were also down by a wide margin: 2,935 stops were made in 2019. In 2018, 3,500 were made, and 4,716 were made in 2014.

In 2019, the department wrote 715 traffic citations and 2,513 warnings, with both counts down from 2018.

Calls for service dipped to 8,626 in 2019 from 10,500 in 2018. The total number of 9-1-1 calls were up, however, from 3,196 in 2018 to 3,286 in 2019.

For animal control statistics, dog and cat impounds were up from 2018 on both accounts. Dog bites were up from 17 in 2018 to 27 in 2019. Last year, the Blackwell Animal Control Department adopted out more than 400 animals and sent more than 242 to non-profit organizations.