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West Chester police calls trend down; fatal pedestrian crash remains under investigation; GFAC outlines 'safe car' behavioral-health transfers
Summary
Committee heard monthly reports showing overall police calls trending downward in June, with thefts flat and a May spike tied to public drunkenness; the police chief said a fatal pedestrian crash remains under investigation. Ambulance representatives described a Behavioral Health 'safe car' program and agreed to provide year-over-year comparisons next month.
The Public Safety and Quality of Life Committee on July 7 reviewed June departmental reports showing generally lower call volumes for police and continued operational patterns for emergency medical services.
The chair summarized the West Chester Police Department report, saying most service calls trended down in June, though thefts were roughly flat. The committee noted a spike in May; the police chief said that surge was mainly public drunkenness. When asked for an update on a fatal pedestrian crash, the police chief said the investigation remains active and "I can't say any more than I've said," noting that the district attorney's office and the department limit releases while the case is open.
The Good Fellowship ambulance report showed West Chester receives roughly a quarter of the company's calls and lists Chester County Hospital and Paoli as primary destinations; a representative described recent voluntary Behavioral Health 'safe car' transfers: retrofitted SUVs with safety partitions that transport behavioral-health patients from hospitals to Haven Behavioral to reduce wait times for definitive care. "Our Behavioral Health safe car is the SUV that we've retrofitted...and we're taking those voluntary behavioral health patients...over to Haven Behavioral," the GFAC representative said.
GFAC agreed to include year-over-year comparisons in next month's operational report to help the committee assess trends.
What’s next: The police chief reiterated the crash remains under investigation and no further details were released; GFAC will provide comparative reporting in the next monthly packet.
