Batesville police report spike in October calls; most officers complete crisis-intervention training

Batesville Police Chief Scaro reported a sharp increase in calls for service in October and described department training and equipment updates at the Nov. 1 council meeting.

“I do not know why our calls doubled for the month of October,” Chief Scaro said, noting that while calls rose and accidents increased by 13, arrests were down by six and incident reports slightly decreased. He said the department completed extensive training last month, including a state-mandated Crisis Intervention Training course and firearms training linked to recently approved new weapons.

Chief Scaro said the department met or exceeded the state mandate for CIT by certifying roughly 90% of the force in the 40-hour course and that officers also attended field training and peer-counseling sessions. He cautioned that the intensive training required officers to work extra shifts to maintain patrol coverage.

On equipment, the chief reported trouble integrating new in-car computers and e-tickets with the district court’s system, saying the state and court have been slow to complete the technical linkage so e-ticket data are not always identified in court as Batesville Police Department tickets. He also raised concerns that new safety vests may obstruct body-camera views and said staff are testing different vest designs to avoid covering cameras.

Council members asked about visibility and officer safety; the chief said the department is exploring reflective sleeves and alternate vest styles so cameras remain unobstructed and officers remain visible during traffic stops.

The council did not take formal action on the report but thanked the chief for the update.