Police and emergency-services briefing: thefts down, DUI enforcement up, jail RFID installed
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Summary
RCPD and EMS reported January statistics showing reductions in property crime in several categories and an increase in DUI incidents; officers described targeted DUI enforcement, work on mental-health call documentation, and installation of an RFID system in the county jail paid from inmate funds.
Raleigh County law-enforcement and emergency-services leaders reported mixed January results at the Feb. 19 commission meeting: several crime categories were below five‑year averages while DUI incidents rose and county staff flagged gaps in mental-health call documentation.
'Marco,' who presented the police update, said violent-crime and property-crime measures were generally below the five‑year average, with specific reductions in burglaries and auto‑related theft tied to unlocked vehicles. He reported a roughly 23% drop in property-crime measures for January versus the five‑year average and asked residents to lock vehicles and secure valuables. The department reported 8 aggravated-assault/battery incidents in the period; two were domestic-related.
The department also reported an increase in DUI incidents — a rise above the five‑year January average — and said it will deploy targeted, data-driven DUI enforcement based on times and locations identified in recent patterns. Officers asked the commission for enforcement emphasis in problem areas (example requested: Eureka Drive early-morning patrols where residents report drag‑racing concerns).
Police and jail staff reported recent jail improvements, including a new RFID system installed using inmate funds to improve accountability and monitor individuals on high watch; training and roll‑out of that system begins the week after the meeting. The department said it applied for a governor's office grant related to behavioral response and intervention for the homeless task force and described coordination with federal partners (including HSI) on training for specialized responses.
Speakers also said county staff are revising how mental‑health calls are logged because current data appear incomplete; they will return improved documentation to the commission when available.