Italy Chief of Police Diron Hill presented a 2013 End of Year Report and Strategic Plan Update at the monthly meeting of the Italy City Council recently.

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The department’s mission statement reads: The Italy Police Department will provide the highest level of service through the enforcement of laws and the protection of life, property and the constitutional rights of all. We will meet the present and future needs of the public through a continued partnership with our community.

The vision statement is uniting the community through professional police service.

The department’s core values include: integrity, service, innovation, pride, respect and professionalism.

The 29-page report summarizes the accomplishments and deficiencies in several areas including routine patrol/calls for service, community service/community policing, enforcement, investigations, administration/supervision and training.

Routine patrol/calls to service

The report indicates the police department ended 2013 with 3,058 calls for service as compared to 2,992 in 2012. The overall crime rate decreased dramatically from 2012 to 2013 but calls for service, which includes self-initiated calls, remained the same.

Hill said that means officers increased their utilization of crime prevention patrol techniques through pro-active self-initiated activity such as traffic stops, close patrols, business checks and routine investigation in the field to reduce crime in 2013.

Community service/community policing

Effective community policing organizations focus not just on the traditional reactive aspects of law enforcement; they also try to be proactive in dealing with issues. Being proactive can mean many different things depending upon the setting.

Hill said through the cooperation of the city council, civic organizations, business, other city departments and the citizens, the police department has been a leader in the community in planning, organization and implementing community events that have brought unity within the community.

Additionally he said officers use their problems solving skills to recognize reoccurring crime and find ways to prevent future occurrences.

Enforcement

He said the department focuses on code enforcement violations throughout the year. As a result, many dilapidated and dangerous structures as well as unsightly properties have been torn down and cleaned up. He said this progress reduces health and safety issues and increases property values.

Investigations

Hill said due to obligations to a full-time employer, the reserve officer assigned to assist in major criminal investigations was unavailable to assist so the chief took responsibility for the majority of the case load.

Administration/supervision and training

As a part of the organizational transformation process, the department has put into place an effective line of supervision that fosters good communication and accountability.

Hills said training is an important function of the police department. He said the police department, with the assistance of the Italy Fire Department and the Italy ISD, conducted active shooter response training at both school campuses.

Additionally, he said the department entered into a training agreement with Hill College for cost effective training. For only $25 per officer per year – a total of $150 – officers will be able to attend continued education courses at no cost. This could be a potential savings of approximately $250-$300 per officer each year.

Crime statistics and enforcement

Hill said the Italy Police Department remains well below the state and national average for reported violent crimes and property crimes. For the first time in a number of years, the overall crime rate was reduced.

The Uniform Reported Crime report, which includes murder, rapes, robbery, aggravated assault, property crime, burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson had 34 reported in 2010, 43 reported in 2011, 37 reported in 2012 and 31 reported in 2013.

The Other Crime report includes all other crimes such as simple assault, family violence, injury to a child, theft, pickpocketing, harassment, disorderly conduct and criminal trespass. The totals were 54 in 2010, 161 in 2011, 164 in 2012 and 150 in 2013.

Hill said the overall crime rate in Italy was reduced by 22.8% from Jan. 1 to Oct. 1, 2013. The goal of the department, beginning in 2013, was to reduce the crime rate by 25%. There was a slight increase in crime from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, 2013.

Officers made 3,789 stops in 2013 and 4,827 traffic stops in 2012.

They issued a total of 5,968 citations in 2010, 5,181 in 2011, 5,043 in 2012 and 4,582 in 2013.

The department made 130 arrests in 2010, 125 arrested in 2011, 104 arrests in 2012 and 91 arrests in 2013.

When it comes to investigations, Hill said the city had a 25% solve rate for UCR type crimes in 2010, an 11.8% solve rate in 2011, a 43.6% solve rate in 2012 and a 65.7% solve rate in 2013.

Hill said the department re-opened an unsolved homicide from 2003 and discovered new leads. They also successfully investigated and solved a high profile criminal mischief case where several cemetery headstones were damaged.

Accomplishments

Hill listed the following accomplishments for 2013:

• Through a court order, the department was able to destroy property and evidence that had been accumulating for several years. As a result, the property room was more manageable and organized.
• The department established its first social networking page through Facebook to provide updated information to citizens about events, crime prevention and department accomplishments.
• The department, with the cooperation of McDonalds in Italy, implemented a program called Coffee with a Cop. McDonalds provided free coffee to patrons that participated in a question and answer session with an officer to help provide accurate information about crime prevention.
• The department conducted a scaled down version of the July 4th community crime prevention plan with no major incidents reported.
• Former Sergeant Tierra Mooney was awarded the 2012 State of Texas Law Enforcement Achievement Award for Public Service.
• In continuing the tradition of community partnership, the department held the annual National Night Out at the new downtown pavilion.
• The police and fire departments held the 2nd Annual Guns and Hoses Benefit Softball Game to benefit the departments Shop with a Cop program. Over $3,000 was raised to continue the program. A free fireworks show was held for citizens following the game.
• For the third year in a row, the police and fire departments continued to provide a Christmas to several needy children with the renamed Shop with a Hero Program.
• The department successfully provided traffic control for several funerals, athletic bus escorts, homecoming parade and Christmas parade.

Strategic Plans

The department met seven of nine objectives planned in 2012 and met six of its nine objectives in 2013.

The five objectives for 2014 include increasing community involvement with police and activity, infrastructure/technology, crime and disorder, youth and elderly and internal operations.