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Owensboro Police report drops in some crimes, high clearance rates and large narcotics seizures
Summary
Deputy Chief J.D. Winkler told commissioners the department handled about 36,500 calls for service in 2024, reported a decline in part‑1 property crimes, a 73% violent‑crime clearance rate and major narcotics seizures handled by its street‑crimes unit.
Deputy Chief J.D. Winkler delivered the Owensboro Police Department’s annual report to the City Commission on Feb. 18, reviewing 2024 calls, crime statistics, investigative work and training.
Why it matters: The report gives the commission a year‑end summary of public‑safety workloads, investigative outcomes and department staffing. Commissioners asked about prevention and community outreach tied to thefts and gun security.
Winkler said the department handled 36,496 calls for service and recorded 12,041 traffic stops in the reported period; officers supported about 50 special events, including Friday After 5. He said part‑1 violent crimes generally tracked steady and that part‑1 property crimes (burglaries and thefts) were down about 7.28 percent year‑over‑year.
The department highlighted investigative work and seizure totals. Winkler said the street‑crimes unit executed cases that produced about 62 federal indictments and seized quantities he listed as approximately 270 pounds of methamphetamine, 23 pounds of cocaine, about 100,000 fentanyl pills and 1 pound of heroin.
Winkler reported a 73 percent clearance rate for part‑1 violent crimes—above the statewide and national averages he cited—and described an active digital forensics workload (83 cell‑phone downloads, 13 computers and 51 other digital media devices processed). The department opened 50 Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) investigations in the year, with 12 arrests and 78 charges reported in the presentation.
Professional standards and use‑of‑force reporting were included in the briefing. Winkler said the department opened 25 administrative investigations (18 external complaints and 7 internally generated). He presented a use‑of‑force summary and said the department reports those figures publicly to maintain transparency.
Commissioners asked about prevention and public messaging. Commissioner Bob Glenn suggested a public campaign reminding residents not to leave valuables in cars, including firearms; Winkler said the department posts periodic public‑service announcements and frequently attends neighborhood alliance meetings to deliver the same message, noting that too many broad announcements can be ignored but that officers do ongoing outreach.
Winkler also asked citizens to consider the department’s Citizens Academy as a way to learn more about operations; the department said a new OPD Academy class of nine officers is moving through training and is scheduled to come off training in mid‑March.
The presentation was received as informational; no commission action was requested.
