Small Town News

Statistics tell Shelton's story

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JOURNAL EDITORIAL

Crime is changing in Shelton. That's according to a recent Shelton Police Department report prepared by Chief Darrin Moody.

The report, which was presented to the Shelton City Commission on Monday, shows that burglaries and thefts are decreasing, but assaults have seen a slight uptick.

Among the many interesting facts Moody presented in his annual police report was a breakdown of total calls for service by location. While some locations saw fewer calls, most Shelton neighborhoods saw a rise in calls for service — overall in 2015, Shelton received 10,218 calls, an increase of more than 600 calls from 2014.

The department made 1,309 arrests last year — also an increase from 2014, but down from 2013. Authorities generated more than 2,300 case reports last year, which was down from 2014 and 2015.

So what do all these numbers mean? Well, that depends.

At the Journal, we want our local police department to be as transparent as possible, especially when it comes to matters of public safety. These numbers help us understand what kind of crime our officers — and our community members — are dealing with and responding to every day.

But that's not all. The report also show us what kinds of drug offenses are most common in Shelton.

It sheds light on what types of weapons suspects use during a crime. It shows us how many animal complaints the city receives (more than 450 last year) and how many citations are issued to animal owners (1 in 2015).

But, arguably most importantly, the report also shows us information about faces behind the uniform. It lists the names and occupations of all police department employees, and gives us a window into the hard work that staff do each day to keep us safe.

We're glad to see the department, under the leadership of Moody, continues to share these statistics with the public so we can stay safe in Shelton.



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