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Laconia Police leaders report May activity, highlight advanced CALEA accreditation and COPS audit
Summary
At the June 17 Laconia Police Commission meeting, department leaders reported May patrol and investigative statistics, described an 'advanced' CALEA accreditation status and said a DOJ COPS monitor review of grants was generally favorable but requested additional documentation on a hiring grant.
On June 17, officials at the Laconia Police Commission reviewed May patrol and support statistics, described progress on accreditation and said a Department of Justice COPS Office monitor review of grants yielded generally positive findings with follow-up documentation requested.
Chief Matthew Canfield told the commission the department’s reorganized patrol leadership—two lieutenants and a captain—has allowed clearer division of duties and helped scheduling for Motorcycle Week and July Fourth events. "The new organization with the two lieutenants and Captain Noise has been working very well," Canfield said. He identified fireworks at Opechee Park on July 4 at 10:00 p.m. and a midnight display at the Weirs on July 3 and said staffing plans are in place to cover both.
Canfield provided monthly enforcement figures for May: 30 parking tickets, 46 motor-vehicle accidents (14 of them with injury), 520 motor-vehicle stops, 51 summonses and 469 written warnings. He also described highway safety funds from state and federal sources used for enhanced summer enforcement.
Support-division activity included two new initial cases, five case follow-ups, three search warrants, three exceptional clearances, registration of 20 sex offenders, one cell-phone extraction, four drug-intel actions, three polygraph exams and 70 training hours, Canfield said.
Commission members heard an accreditation update noting the department is CALEA accredited and, as stated in the meeting, is "one of seven" New Hampshire agencies with "advanced accreditation." The speaker also said the department is among roughly "20 or 21" state agencies with any CALEA accreditation, a phrasing that reflected some uncertainty in the audio.
Chief Engel presented department-wide highlights: 2,665 calls for service in May; 216 park walk-and-talks; 598 extra patrols; 394 criminal offenses investigated with about 300 cleared; 70 DWI arrests; and 23 custody holds for intoxication. Engel also reported 24 domestic disturbance calls, 12 suicidal-subject responses and eight volunteer hours from the victim services unit.
Other items reported to the commission included seven year-to-date overdoses with no fatalities reported, a Spider Tech messaging total of 1,620 texts for the month (up 14.7%) with a 21% survey completion rate, and a planned Kiwanis bike rodeo on June 24 at the skate park. On the grant-monitoring review, the department said a DOJ COPS Office monitor reviewed three grants and that, while the review was "pretty comprehensive" and "went pretty well," monitors requested additional documentation for the COPS hiring grant covering prior years.
The commission did not take budgetary action; staff said the department will finish the fiscal year with a positive balance though final expenses will reduce that surplus. The commission confirmed its next regular meeting for July 15.
Selection of direct quotes and statistics above are drawn from remarks presented to the commission during the June 17 meeting.
