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Residents press city on Heritage Days safety after police report shows 77 calls and 8 fights
Summary
Public commenters and council members pressed city leaders about Heritage Days safety; Police Chief Sean Stoker reported 77 calls over 33 hours, eight reported fights involving 27 juveniles (all from outside Clinton), and roughly $12,882 in overtime for the department during the event.
Residents and council members pressed Clinton officials to review public-safety planning for Heritage Days after a spike of incidents during the weekend event.
Police Chief Sean Stoker told the council the department tracked 77 calls across a 33-hour event period, including eight fights and 27 suspects/arrestees. Stoker said all arrests and referrals involved juveniles who live outside Clinton's boundaries. He noted the department's overtime for the event was about $12,882, down from an overtime cost of about $38,000 in the city's highest-incident year in 2022.
Several public commenters said they were embarrassed by how the event's disturbances were handled and asked whether the police coordinated with state or neighboring agencies and whether a formal threat assessment was requested. Cameron Frick, a Clinton resident, asked whether the police had considered requesting a State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) threat assessment and estimated an additional $10,000 could have funded extra officer coverage that night. Mayor Marie Doherty acknowledged the public's concerns and said the issue would be brought back for council discussion; Chief Stoker said the department evaluates each year, coordinates budgeting for outside assistance when necessary, and monitors groups and flash-mob activity in the region.
Parks & Recreation Director Brooke Mitchell highlighted non-safety successes at the celebration: the largest car show the city has hosted (more than 100 cars), a community barbecue attended by 574 people, about 50 parade entries and strong turnout for the 5K and kids' dash. Mitchell and Chief Stoker both praised staff and volunteers for their response, while stressing the need for additional planning to keep future events safe and inclusive.
Council members asked for a written report and for staff to schedule follow-up discussions. Mayor Doherty asked city staff to add a heritage-days action-item to the council's calendar and said the council could consider appointing a liaison to a Heritage Days committee.
What happens next: Chief Stoker said he will finalize a fuller after-action report and staff will schedule a council follow-up to discuss operational changes, mutual-aid agreements and possible budgetary implications for future events.
