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Middletown police report shows sharp month-to-month increases in calls, crimes and arrests
Summary
The police chief reported a jump in March calls for service and crimes, outlined uses-of-force data, and described continuing rollout of the department’s records system and seasonal traffic and noise enforcement.
The Middletown Police Department reported 2,310 calls for service in March, a sizeable increase from February, and a month-to-month rise in reported crimes and arrests, the police chief told the police commission on April 17.
The department reported 36 Part 1 crimes in March—13 violent and 23 property offenses—up from 24 in February. Part 2 crimes rose to 173 in March from 88 in February. Arrests increased to 170 in March from 109 in February. Traffic tickets issued rose to 177 from 62 the prior month; parking tickets declined to 318 from 600.
Uses of force were reported in eight incidents in March, which the chief said represented 4.7% of arrests for the month; two of those incidents involved mental-health situations. The chief also noted there were no “shots fired” calls that month.
The department is continuing a multi-month rollout of its new records management software (Niche). The chief said officers and staff are finding the system easier to use as they work through remaining bugs. He told commissioners the change is improving workflow and data accuracy.
Seasonal issues: With warmer weather the department has increased traffic details and noise-enforcement activity, the chief said, citing regular complaints about traffic and noise at neighborhood hotspots. He said officers are using the city code to guide enforcement and that overtime details will supplement grant-funded patrols as needed.
The chief asked whether commissioners wanted further statistical review; commissioners did not request additional public discussion during the meeting.
