Microsoft Word - Final Annual Report 2019.docx

ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19

Police Department The Mechanic Falls Police Department saw a significant rise in Calls for Service this past year. There were a few areas that saw a decrease, however categorically speaking, most saw greater numbers than last year and a significantly higher number than years prior to that. A great number of the changes previously noted in the larger populated areas have now made their way to our community. Many of our calls have involved subjects behaving in drug induced frenzies that create a great deal of danger to that person as well as the responding officer and any bystanders. Rational behavior on the part of these subjects is virtually nonexistent. Our Crimes against people saw a 77% increase this year along with our Crimes Against Property which saw a 42% increase. The number of Arrest and traffic accident incidents were also up over 2017’s figures. We were dealing with the increase in call volume while trying to hire two officers to replace an officer who resigned and the Lieutenant who retired. Finding quality candidates is very difficult. Many departments across the state are hiring and a significant number of them have very competitive benefit packages. Some departments are offering hiring bonuses in excess of $10,000 in an effort to attract quality help. We were able to hire two excellent officers, one of which graduated the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in December. The other new officer will attend in 2019. I often get people asking what time we go home. There is an officer on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We may not always have someone in the office, but there is always an officer on duty. If you need to reach an officer and cannot find someone in our office, please call the Androscoggin Sheriff’s Department. They handle our dispatching services for us and have direct radio contact with the duty officer. We encourage citizens to be involved. By that, I mean if you see something going on that doesn’t seem, right pay attention to what is happening and call us. Take notice of vehicles plate numbers and identifying information. We don’t ask that you intervene. You never know who you are dealing with or what they are capable of doing. Intervening is our job. Just be observant and call to report suspicious activity. The Police Department now has a Facebook page that we try to post items of interest on, as well as other activities that are happening. In the coming year, we will be trying to become fully staffed and fully trained so that we can re-introduce some of our community programs, such as the Eye on the elderly and some school programs. We are looking forward to getting back out into the community and participating in some programs that allow us to associate with community members on a non- enforcement level. We will continue to lead the drug take back events that have been happening twice a year in April and October. We also have a box in the elevator lobby that you can drop your unused, unwanted or expired medications into at any time when the building is open.

Jeffrey Goss, Chief of Police

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