04-13-2015 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, April 13, 2015 7:00 o'clock p.m. (4. ORONO POLICE DEPARTMENT ANNUAL REPORT continued) The crime summary comparison shows a significant drop in some of the categories, such as burglaries and homicides. Overall there was a 24 percent reduction in thefts, but it is still one of the highest volume of calls. One of the biggest complaints received in the City through dispatch is for traffic related incidents. In 2014 there were 96 DUls, 261 seatbelt violations, 29 use of wireless communications device, 763 speeding violations, and 272 traffic crashes, for a total of 2,421 citations being issued. The activity summary for investigations includes 18 death investigations, 298 arrests, 52 assaults, 22 burglaries, and 21 criminal sexual incidents. Farniok stated in 2014, 128 handgun permits were issued and there were 574 alarm calls, with 476 being false alarms. Farniok stated the false alarms take up a significant amount of officer time, with 300 of those calls being cancelled in route. In addition, there were 235 welfare checks and 129 vehicle lockouts in 2014. The total calls amounted to 23,224, with 10,990 requiring a report or some form of follow-up. Farniok noted there was one double fatality on Highway 12 as well as multiple serious injury accidents. Since that time rumble strips have been installed on Highway 12 and there have been no additional cross- over fatalities or accidents along the stretch of Highway 12 where the rumble strips were installed. The Orono Police Department also performs tobacco checks and alcohol compliance checks. Presentations on various topics included the Mound Head Start, the Halloween safety talk, the Mound school bus safety talk, the Mound safety talk with district janitors, Mound driver's education to high school students, and one forensic day. The Police Department also investigated a bomb threat at the Orono Middle School. Farniok noted the Mound SRO confiscated one-half pound of marijuana off of an offender selling to a non -student buyer in front of Grandview Middle School. The Orono Police Department also has two members that serve on the West Metro Drug Task Force, which is a combination task force with Hennepin County and the Cities of Medina, Independence, and Maple Plain. Overall the Drug Task Force executed 97 search warrants in 2014 and performed 56 arrests. In addition, 41 firearms were confiscated along with 98,483.85 grams of marijuana, 4,936.95 grams of methamphetamines, 78.01 grams of cocaine, and 665.0 tablets of prescription drugs. Overall, the West Metro Drug Task Force confiscated drugs with a street value of $3,525,412.75. Council Member Levang asked if the police department anticipates more enforcement of distracted driving. Farniok stated the campaign targeting distracted driving starts tomorrow. Farniok indicated the Police Department is seeing a lot more crossover traffic accidents and vehicular accidents as a result of the driver being distracted. Farniok stated they are attempting to educate people to keep their eyes on the road. Levang asked if there will be a demonstration in Mound at the high school. Farniok indicated that will be a mock crash and that a definitive date has not yet been set. Farniok noted a mock crash was performed at the Orono High School last year prior to prom. Page 2 of 40