Tecumseh Police Department presents annual report to council: complaints, arrests down in 2014

Tecumseh Police Chief Troy Stern presented council with his department’s 2014 annual report Monday, March 2. According to the report, 6,536 complaints were taken in 2014 compared to 6,785 in 2013 — a 4 percent decrease. Stern’s report broke down the number of complaints even further. There was a 10 percent decrease in misdemeanor complaints, while felonies were down 5 percent in 2014 over 2013. Non-criminal complaints were down 1 percent year-over year. Arrests by Tecumseh Police were down 36 percent in total in 2014, with 335 arrests reported. “A lot of our arrests — I want to say a majority of our arrests — are traffic related,” said Stern, continuing that traffic stops in 2014 were down 2 percent to 2,332. “Our folks are out there doing what they’re supposed to be doing. We’re just not bumping into the things we normally bump into.”Felony arrests were down 33 percent to 47, while misdemeanor and civil arrests were down 36 and 25 percent, respectively, in 2014 compared to 2013. Traffic citations were also down in 2014, officers issuing 948 in 2014 compared to 1,005 in 2013. “Historically, we have had a very strong presence for traffic enforcement,” said Stern. “I think we are starting to see some benefit to the work that we’re out there doing.”Suspending driving and other traffic misdemeanor arrests were down in 2014. Drunken driving arrests were also down in 2014 to 47. Total traffic arrests were down 65 in 2014 from 2013. Accidents Tecumseh Police responded to remained even in 2014 with 314. There were 313 accidents in 2013. Last year also marked the 29th consecutive year without a traffic fatality within the City of Tecumseh.While personal injury accidents were down 44 percent from 32 to 18, hit and runs were up 5 percent to 44 while private property crashes were also up 28 percent to 77 over the 2013 numbers.The intersection of Chicago Boulevard and Occidental Highway, and Chicago Boulevard and Evans Street were Tecumseh’s most common locations for accidents, each recording 14 crashes in 2014. Chicago Boulevard and Rogers Highway, Evans Street and Red Mill Drive, and Chicago Boulevard and Maumee Street recorded 10, nine and six accidents, respectively. The most crashes in Tecumseh happen between 3 p.m. and 6:59 p.m., according to the report, with 65 accidents reported during that time in 2014. Forty-eight accidents were recorded between 11 a.m. and 2:59 p.m., while 31 accidents occurred between 7 a.m. and 10:59 a.m. March is the busiest month for traffic stops in Tecumseh, said Stern. “That generally comes from knocking off the winter blues,” he added. “…When the weather picks up so does our traffic.” The busiest day for Tecumseh officers in 2014 was Thursday, with 1,016 calls for service. Friday followed with 1,012 calls. Saturday and Tuesday recorded 969 and 965 calls for service each. Sunday saw the fewest calls in 2014 with 757. Tecumseh Police Department revenue was up slightly in 2014 to $61,268. Revenue in 2013 was $59,397, $59,673 in 2012 and $58,816 in 2012.Also included in the report was the makeup of the current police force. “You have a very seasoned, veteran police department where we don’t have a lot of young folks on the department,” Stern said. “The people we are hiring we are keeping.” Seven officers are between the ages of 41-45, while two are between 36-40. One officer is between the ages of 31-35. Three officers each have 16 to 20 and six to 10 years of service with the Tecumseh Police Department. Two in 2014 had 26-30 years of service while two more officers had 11-15 year of service. Sgt. Kevin DeCatur retired in April 2014 after service over 26 years with the department. Officers Brett Coker and Greg Walsh were hired in 2014, while Ashley Warrick was hired to fill the vacant part-time animal control/code enforcement position. Cheryl Banham was hired in 2014 as a part-time dispatcher. Officer Chad Rodger was promoted to rank of Sergeant within the department in October 2014.