Tyler

By KENNETH DEAN
Staff Writer

Tyler police officers respond to numerous types of calls each day, but how many calls do they log in a month's time and what type of calls are they?

The Tyler Paper looked at a one-month period of calls from July 27 to Aug. 27 from information in incident reports provided to the newspaper by the police department.

In the reports, the paper found the department recorded 2,248 calls during the time period, but Sgt. John Bausell, the department's technology coordinator, said that number only represents about half of the actual calls officers were dispatched to in the month.

"Anything we generate paper on will appear in the reports, but officers are sent on numerous false alarm calls, they work accidents, stalled vehicles and a variety of other services that are not reported," he said.

Bausell said the calls also do not include funeral escorts.

Of the 2,248 calls the police answered in the 30-day period, 397 were some type of disturbance, which included domestic disputes and loud noises.

The list of reports consisted of the disturbances and 45 other categories such as assaults, thefts, robberies, drug cases and arrests.

There were 10 robberies, 195 thefts, 37 driving while intoxicated, three prostitution arrests, 199 warrant arrests and 127 welfare concerns.

Don Martin, the department's public information officer, said the number of calls through dispatchers to officers on the street totaled 5,559 during the same time period.

The dispatcher receiving the call transmits the information to officers via a laptop computer in each patrol car and the officer is sent to the scene. Once at the scene and sizing up what is happening, the officer determines how to handle the call. Some calls will result with additional officers being called to the scene, and investigation and possible arrest. Other calls may end with a quick check on a home where a burglar alarm has gone off due to a thunderstorm.

According to the numbers Martin gave, an average day has the department answering 185 calls, or 61.7 calls per shift. There are three shifts at the department.

"If we go on a call then it may be something that doesn't generate an internal report that would be seen if someone requested to see the reports," he said. "That is why there is the difference. The 2,248 calls are ones that generated reports.

Martin explained why typical vehicle accidents do not make the internal report, but are instead filed on a state accident report.

"A hit and run would generate both a state report and an internal report, because it is an accident and is a criminal case that we would investigate and make a case against a suspect. But if the average citizen has a typical accident and there is no criminal element then that is filed through state report and would not be an internal report," he said.

Martin said the numbers indicate a full work load for officers who spend a lot of their time helping citizens with public service.

"It is definitely a full day's work," he said.

ON CALL: Tyler Police Officer Oliver Hall checks for current incidents reported to the police department communications center with the laptop computer on board his police unit.
(Staff Photo By Jaime R. Carrero)