The number of citations and arrests related to drug-related crimes is on the rise in Whitewater, according to a recent discussion. But the trend should not raise any alarm bells, the head of the local police department said recently.
Whitewater Police Chief Aaron Raap gave a cursory overview of some of the data gleaned from the department’s second quarter report when he met with members of the Police and Fire Commission on Aug. 21.
A number of crime categories – including burglaries and accidents – are on the decline within the city, Raap said. Consequently, the department has notched fewer overtime staffing hours.
But during a discussion of the data, Glenn Hayes, chairman of the city’s Police and Fire Commission, called out several other categories on the rise, which he described as “fairly dramatic, in my estimation.”
Arrests and citations for controlled substances and drug paraphernalia each increased.
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Year-over-year comparisons, for example, reveal police logged 53 calls for drug paraphernalia a year ago, compared to 76 calls this year.
In response, Raap said he did not believe the numbers in the pair of categories should raise any red flags.
“It doesn’t necessarily concern me,” Raap said. “As soon as I got here (as police chief), I wanted an increase in enforcement in drug-related crimes because they lead to other types of crimes.”
The increased numbers, Raap said, are likely attributed to proactive policing, though he said he would comb through reports in greater detail and see if actual call volumes were on the rise.
In other recent business, the Police and Fire Commission:
• Heard a report from Raap about union contract negotiations, which are in the early stages for the next bargaining session. He said two staff meetings were held in recent weeks.
“In the near future – I believe next month, actually – we’ll begin meeting with the police union and the police supervisors union,” he said.
• Discussed a current officer recruitment effort on the heels of a resignation. Officer Ryan Weston resigned from the Whitewater Police Department recently to take a position on the Walworth County Sheriff’s Department.
Raap said efforts to seek out Weston’s successor are underway. A Sept. 5 deadline has been set for applications.
• Talked about the department’s recent receipt of a Purple Angel award. The recognition means the department has been designated a dementia-friendly agency. A number of department staffers took part in training this summer.
“I think it’s great that we’re more informed,” Raap said in reference to the training.
• Addressed a recent training exercise related to fair and impartial policing. The goal, Raap said, is to help remove some of the preconceived notions that might exist as officers interact with the public.
“We all have implicit biases,” Raap said. “We just may not be aware of them. This training tries to make you aware of that any (the biases) bring out.”
• Discussed the recent acquisition of a mine-resistant ambush protected (MRAP) rescue vehicle, which once served military operations. Ninety such vehicles were awarded to police agencies across the country.
“We hope to never have to use this vehicle,” Raap said. “But the potential exists in this city – and quite frankly, in almost any city across our country. I feel that it’s better to be prepared, and this vehicle is going to help us become more prepared in case we have to get up close and personal.”
