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Kentwood police and fire chiefs present October public‑safety reports; police note major narcotics seizure
Summary
Chiefs reported October activity: police logged just over 1,500 calls (YTD just under 15,000), seized 438 grams of cocaine and other evidence; fire reports showed a decline in fires and described a large apartment fire with no serious injuries.
Kentwood’s police and fire department leaders briefed the City Commission on public-safety activity through October during the Nov. 18 meeting.
Police Chief Litwin reported just over 1,500 calls for service in October and just under 15,000 year to date. He said the department recorded three CSC (criminal sexual conduct) complaints for the month in which the suspect and victim were known to each other, 22 aggravated assaults (primarily domestic-related incidents), 71 larcenies, five burglaries and 113 adult arrests and 19 juvenile arrests for the period. He highlighted vice-team activity that led to a search-warrant seizure of "438 grams of cocaine, $2,400 in cash, and one handgun," and said detectives also recovered a one-kilo brick of cocaine on a separate warrant.
Litwin told commissioners the department currently has about 70 officers on duty and expects to reach an authorized strength of 79 through recent millage funding and upcoming academy classes and recruit cycles. He noted year-over-year variation in traffic-stop counts and said some historical years (notably 2020 during COVID-19) affect five-year averages.
Fire Department presenter Jeff Flomann said fires in October were about 18% lower than the previous year (14 fires in October) while EMS calls totaled 283 for the month. He reviewed response details for a multi-unit apartment fire in which occupants escaped and no serious injuries were reported, and he described prevention and inspection activity (construction plan reviews, business inspections and smoke- and CO-alarm installations). Flomann said the department is pursuing a state smoke-alarm grant but has budgeted $6,000 to purchase alarms if the grant is delayed; staff reported only about 60 detectors currently in stock and noted typical installations place about five detectors per household.
Commissioners asked clarifying questions about staffing and report details; staff acknowledged a missing building listing in the written report and said it was an oversight that will be corrected. The commission voted to receive and file both the police and fire reports.
