2011 Annual Report

 

CITY of BENTON POLICE DEPARTMENT ANNUAL REPORT of ACTIVITIES 2011

The Benton Police Department began 2011 to achieve ten goals. Eight of those goals were accomplished. The goals accomplished are:

 

 

 

  • Enhance the Neighborhood Watch Program and establish Business Watch and Pharmacy Watch Programs. Establish a Property Room Manager’s position and city wide Crime Mapping interactive page. Update departmental firearms. Seek funding to update department vehicles and explore the possibility of an on line report system. In addition to these achieved goals, the Benton Police Department took over command of the Communications Division.
  • Numbers - Reporting of the NIBRS crime statistics showed violent crime in the City of Benton, down -23.31%, and property crime reports up +3.24%. The NIBRS reporting covers all the crime categories, and showed a total increase of crime in the City of Benton up by + 0.92% compared to 2010 totals.
  • Training -The Benton Police officers completed 9044 training hours, up 26.31% from 2010.
  • Records -The records division processed 34686 reports (up +12.70% from 2010).We had a decrease in collections of - 45.31% for a total of $315,986.98 in 2011 compared to 2010.
  • Criminal Investigation Division - Obtained a grant to update their division to a complete digital interview recording system.
  • Special Investigative Unit - In 2011, the unit seized $2,181,543.09 in drugs from the streets of Benton/Bryant.  They arrested 336 persons on a total of 512 drug related charges. The unit seized 8 weapons, along with 28 vehicles for forfeiture.
  • Code Enforcement - handled 1929 code cases, up +30.58% from the 1339 code cases in 2010. Compliance was obtained in 1825 of those cases. Code Enforcement will be under the supervision of Community Development in 2012.
  • Grants - the Benton Police Department applied for 18 grant funding opportunities and were successful in 16 of them totaling $458,472.00 received.  Cops grant funding received enabled the hiring of two officers that will be assigned to Warrants and Special Investigative Units.

 

2012 GOALS and OBJECTIVES

The Benton Police Department will seek to achieve 10 goals. These goals are as follows:

 

  1. Update departmental computer technology using grant and seized funds.
  2. Complete departmental firearms updating of all police department weapons.
  3. Develop a multi agency task force on metal theft investigations.
  4. Update departmental vehicle fleet by 50%.
  5. Enhance supervision training for departmental supervisors.
  6. Complete updating of departmental policy manual.
  7. Seek out funding for new police department communications center.
  8. Empower the ability to directly answer 911 calls from cellular calls.
  9. Establish and educate the public on TipSoft, crime tip texting program.
  10. Establish the online Accident Report program through PoliceReports.com

 

Respectfully Submitted,

 

Kirk R. Lane

Chief of Police

January 12, 2011