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Sweet Home swears in new officer and hears police report showing mixed crime trends
Summary
The council swore in new officer Leon Vineyard and heard Police Department figures showing overall declines in person and property crime in 2025 but notable increases in assaults and suspicious-activity calls; a captain completed the FBI National Academy.
The council swore in Leon Vineyard as the city’s newest police officer; City Manager Ogden introduced Vineyard and said he will attend the academy in early February. Ogden noted Vineyard has lived in Sweet Home since 2009 and previously drove log trucks for 12 years.
Adam Mayer presented the police department’s year-to-year statistics for 2025. Mayer reported total crimes against persons decreased roughly 19% and property crimes declined about 23% (including an approximate 50% drop in burglaries and a 22% fall in thefts). He also said assaults increased about 56% and suspicious-activity reports rose 27%, while calls for service remained essentially level.
Mayer highlighted an increase in warrant arrests and total arrests (up about 12%) and said clearance rates for crimes against society improved about 14%. He also noted a captain completed the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, calling it a selective, 10-week leadership program that benefits succession planning.
Mayor Coleman and council members welcomed Officer Vineyard and applauded department accomplishments; Mayer said staffing remains a concern and the department is still recruiting.
