Carthage Police Department is arguably one of the most beloved departments in the City of Carthage. The department is charged with a variety of tasks in addition to law enforcement in Carthage and continues to serve the community with dignity and pride. In the annual report, Carthage Police Department released details about crime statistics in Carthage, traffic crashes, team policing, drug enforcement, animal control efforts, police staffing & interaction, and more details from the department in 2020.
The report opens with a narrative that explains the staffing appointments, geographic area, and population of Carthage and continues to show details regarding the 23,063 calls for service in 2020. The number is down from 2019 by over 2,000 calls and the department report explains a split in the department that separates Uniformed Patrol and Support Divisions within CPD that better respond to and serve the community.
Diving into the numbers, the CPD report shows a rise in violent crimes and property crimes with a notation that stolen vehicle rates declined this year. CPD has a 73% cleared rate for violent crimes showing that a majority of those crimes led to an arrest or charges filed. Traffic crashes overall show a decline in Carthage, however, the fatality rate of those involved in accidents increased over 2019.
Team policing is an acclaimed program at CPD and despite pandemic circumstances, the department continued making great efforts in community communication by providing over one hundred educational videos to Carthage. The videos included COVID protocols and education as well as community information and the department was able to provide videos in English and in Spanish. The videos were distributed to churches, businesses, and social media sites throughout the community. The department also propelled efforts to connect with Carthaginians by attending parades, virtual events, senior activities, and working with nonprofit groups to distribute services such as Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets for the Salvation Army.
Notable statistics for the department include 780 arrests in 2020 with only three arrests resulting in force. Animal control calls showed a significant decline. Overall, the Carthage Police Department reported impressive numbers when compared to national trends. The report concluded with the 2020 Officer of the Month Awards.
The full 2020 Year End Report for Carthage Police Department is available here.
