Police Department 2008 Annual Report - New Albany, Ohio

Village of New Albany
Police Department
2008 Annual Report

January 31, 2009
Dear Citizens and Visitors of New Albany,
Welcome to the Village of New Albany Police Department’s 2008 Annual Report. This is the eleventh year
that the Police Department has published an Annual Report for general dissemination and the seventh year that
we have made our Annual Report available online through our Police Department’s web site at
www.newalbanypolice.org. We strongly believe that each of you, as citizens or visitors to the Village of New
Albany, have a right to know what type of law enforcement services and activities have occurred within the Village
and, more importantly, the resources being devoted in providing an appropriate police response to local problems
and concerns.
In this report, you will find New Albany Police Department statistics from 2008. We have also gathered
local law enforcement statistics from previous years to reflect how different categories of crime and law
enforcement activities have been increasing (or decreasing) from previous years.
The men and women of the New Albany Police Department are committed to keeping pace with the
growth of the Village to ensure the safety and security of those who live, travel, and/or work in the Village of New
Albany. We hope that you find our 2008 Annual Report interesting and informative. We have summarized our
significant accomplishments for the year near the end of this report and have attempted to provide you with a
glimpse of where we hope to be in the future.
One of the biggest challenges that we (and the entire nation) face in 2009 is declining tax revenues due to
the overall economy. As a result, we have made numerous budget cuts and are learning to “make do with less.”
Examples of these budget cuts include a hiring freeze for 2009, putting off several new expenditures (including
weapons), and looking for new ways to reduce costs.
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions to improve our Annual Report, please contact me
via email (mchaney@newalbanypolice.org), telephone (614-855-1234), or mail at 50 Village Hall Road; P.O. Box
271; New Albany, OH 43054.
Sincerely,
Mark A. Chaney
Chief of Police
1

VILLAGE OF NEW ALBANY
POLICE DEPARTMENT
MISSION STATEMENT
We, the men and women of the New Albany Police Department, in partnership with the community,
are committed to the prevention of crime and the protection of life and property. We are proactive in
promoting, preserving, and maintaining a feeling of safety and security to all citizens and visitors. We
maintain the public’s trust by holding ourselves to the highest standards of excellence and
professionalism in the delivery of law enforcement services. We provide a quality work environment
and continually strive to develop each employee through effective training and leadership.
VISION STATEMENT
To meet the growing needs of the community, the New Albany Police Department will continue to
provide the highest level of law enforcement services available through a department-wide community
policing philosophy. Provision of police services will be accomplished by hiring the most qualified
personnel, providing superior training to all personnel, and providing the most current equipment,
technology, and facilities to provide these services.
2

VILLAGE OF NEW ALBANY
POLICE DEPARTMENT
VALUES STATEMENT
We, the men and women of the New Albany Police Department, hold these values and
principles to be of the utmost importance:
PROFESSIONALISM
We conduct ourselves, both on-duty and off-duty in a manner that reflects favorably on our profession
and the community we serve. We take pride in our appearance and demeanor. We hold ourselves to
the highest standards and will not allow friendships, prejudices, or animosities to influence our
decision-making when providing law enforcement services. We continuously strive for excellence
through training, education, and innovation.
INTEGRITY
We are guided by the principles of honesty and integrity in our daily lives. We constantly strive to
maintain the public’s trust through honesty and integrity in both words and actions.
RESPECT
We treat all people with the dignity and respect they deserve. This includes the protection of individual
rights while upholding the laws and ordinances of the United States of America, the State of Ohio, and
the Village of New Albany.
COMPASSION
We conduct all citizen contacts with courtesy and compassion. We are sensitive to the needs of others
and possess empathy in dealing with individuals in their time of need.
3

Organizational Chart
January 31, 2009
4

ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
The chart on the preceding page represents the organizational structure of the New Albany Police
Department as of January 31, 2009. This chart depicts the current chain-of-command within the
organization. Generally, the Administrative Assistant, three Sergeants, and Dispatch Supervisor report
directly to the Chief of Police. The Dispatch Supervisor is responsible for all full-time dispatchers.
Each Sergeant is responsible for a designated shift and its assigned personnel.
PERSONNEL
The following is a list of personnel employed by the New Albany Police Department as of January 31,
2009. Employees are listed in order of seniority within each classification.
Chief of Police Mark Chaney Administrative Asst. Yvette Nguyen
Sergeants Greg Jones Dispatch Supervisor Anita Mercer
(In Order of Seniority) Ed Burton
Mark Anderson Dispatchers Mary Hollobaugh
(In Order of Seniority) Ronda Brown
Police Officers Joe Duff Monique Barrett
(In Order of Seniority) Ken Hamilton Brandi Dixon
Jeff Wall
Tamara Booth
Joel Strahler
Kevin Deckop Part-time Officer Van Geiger
Brett Hall
Ryan Southers Reserve Officer Michael Workman
Kris Daniels
Joe Rehnert
Garrett Fernander
Leland Kelly
Joe Catanese
PERSONNEL CHANGES
The New Albany Police Department had two personnel changes in 2008:
Officer Joe Catanese was hired on January 28, 2008. Prior to his employment with the village, he
worked for the United States Secret Service in Washington D.C. Upon completion of his basic training
academy in June 2008, Officer Catanese successfully completed his Field Training program and began
working second shift patrol.
Officer Scott Anderson’s employment was terminated on November 14, 2008.
5

COMMUNICATIONS CENTER INFORMATION
The Communications Center has one dispatch supervisor, four full-time dispatchers, and one part-time
dispatcher who provide twenty-four hours a day/seven days a week service to the community.
The number of runs received by the Communications Center is outlined below. Police dispatched runs
indicate the number of Police Department calls for service that were received and dispatched. As can
be seen by the below graph, the total number of dispatched runs increased this past year.
6

OFFENSE, INCIDENT, AND ACCIDENT REPORTS
The New Albany Police Department takes three basic types of reports - offense reports, incident
reports, and traffic crash (accident) reports. An offense report is defined as a violation of the criminal
code. An incident report is used to record non-criminal calls for service, such as motorist assists and
business/residential checks. Accident reports are traffic crashes that are recorded on a prescribed form
(OH-1) for the State of Ohio.
This past year there was a significant decrease in offense reports and a slight decrease in incident
reports.
7

TRAFFIC CRASHES
As can be seen in the chart below, the Village of New Albany Police Department investigates almost 200
traffic crashes per year. The department recorded a total of 29 car/deer traffic crashes in 2008. This
number is slightly higher than the previous year. The department has been fortunate the past five
years with only 1 recorded traffic fatality within the Village. As vehicular traffic and miles of roadways
increase each year, the department maintains a commitment to providing high visibility patrol and
traffic law enforcement to keep the Village streets and highways as safe as possible.
Year Non-Injury Injury Fatal Total
2004 128 22 0 150
2005 158 26 1 185
2006 140 36 0 176
2007 151 36 0 187
2008 156 28 0 184
200
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
20
0
Top Four Accident Locations for 2008:
State Route 161 @ U.S. 62 (Johnstown Road) 20
U.S. 62 (Johnstown Road) @ Zarley Street 10
U.S. 62 (Johnstown Road) @ Smith’s Mill/Walton Parkway 7
S.R. 161 Between Kitzmiller and Beech Roads 7
8

TRAFFIC CITATIONS
The New Albany Police Department issues both citations and warnings to traffic violators who are
observed breaking traffic laws within the Village of New Albany. The department issues warnings to
approximately half (50%) of all traffic violators. Warnings are issued for minor moving violations,
equipment violations, and parking violations. When investigating traffic crashes, it is the policy of the
department to issue a traffic citation(s) to the at-fault operator. A breakdown of traffic warnings, traffic
crash citations, and non-traffic crash citations is listed below.
Year
Warnings
Traffic Citations Traffic Accident
(Non-Accident) Citations
Total Citations
2004 1880 2010 95 2105
2005 1675 1643 95 1738
2006 2129 2353 111 2464
2007 2094 1982 117 2099
2008 2332 1837 122 1959
2500
2000
1500
1000
Warnings
Non-Accident Citations
Accident Citations
500
0
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
9

ARRESTS
The New Albany Police Department investigates all criminal offenses to the fullest extent possible.
When a suspect can be identified, it is our policy to file the appropriate criminal charges. Adult and
juvenile misdemeanor cases were slightly lower in number than the previous year, however; adult
felony arrests increased. Common felony arrests include Breaking and Entering, Domestic Violence,
Drug Possession, Fleeing/Eluding, OVI (multiple), Receiving Stolen Property, and Tampering with
Evidence. Common misdemeanor arrests include Assault, Driving Under Suspension, Forgery, No
Operator’s License, OVI (1 st or 2 nd ), Theft and Drug Abuse/Paraphernalia. A breakdown of both adult
and juvenile misdemeanor and felony arrests for the past several years is as follows:
Year
Adult Adult Juvenile Juvenile
Total
Felony Misdemeanor Felony Misdemeanor Arrests
2004 32 408 4 26 470
2005 12 309 0 10 331
2006 15 366 0 20 401
2007 20 332 0 15 367
2008 22 322 3 11 358
Total Number of Arrests
500
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
10

OVI ARRESTS
In an effort to minimize the loss of property and life, the New Albany Police Department takes an
aggressive stance against drunk driving. The breakdown of arrests for OVI (Operating a Vehicle
While Under the Influence of Alcohol and/or Drug of Abuse) is as follows:
Year
Number of OVI Arrests
2004 93
2005 48
2006 70
2007 107
2008 106
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
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IMPOUNDS
The New Albany Police Department is responsible for the safe keeping of found and recovered
property. The Property Room keeps found, recovered, and evidentiary property until it can be
returned to its proper owner or is disposed of pursuant to a judicial order. The department is also
responsible for the impoundment of vehicles. The numbers of both property and vehicle impounds
have increased this past year. The breakdown of both property and vehicle impounds is as follows:
Year Property Impounds Vehicle Impounds Total
2004 133 185 318
2005 72 154 226
2006 98 189 287
2007 120 202 322
2008 201 241 442
Vehicle
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
Property
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
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VACATION CHECKS
The New Albany Police Department prides itself in providing superior law enforcement services to the
community. One way in which we provide this service is through periodic residential vacation checks.
A resident need only contact the department to request a vacation check. An officer will then provide
periodic checks of the residence while the owner is out-of-town. A breakdown of vacation checks is as
follows:
Year
Vacation Checks
2004 1334
2005 1692
2006 1527
2007 1633
2008 644
1800
1600
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
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ALARMS
The New Albany Police Department responds to all residential and business alarms that are received by
the Communications Center. Pursuant to Codified Ordinance 705.02, an alarm permit is required for
each residential and business alarm located in the Village. The department charges for false alarms
after 3 false alarm occurrences in one calendar year. For additional information, please contact the
Administrative Assistant at the department. The total number of false alarms continued to decrease in
2008. The breakdown of alarm runs is as follows:
Year
Number of False Alarms
2004 424
2005 466
2006 452
2007 386
2008 291
500
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
14

CRIME STATISTICS BY OFFENSE CATEGORY
Below is a breakdown of criminal offenses by category within the Village of New Albany. Some offenses were
down in 2008 (i.e. - Criminal Damaging, Menacing), while other offense reports (i.e. - Larceny, Breaking and
Entering, and Miscellaneous Offenses) had a significant increase. The Police Department maintains a 5-year
accounting of statistics for comparison purposes.
Offense 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Arson 0 0 0 0 0
Assault 8 9 7 10 5
Breaking & Entering
(Including Attempts) 5 6 4 6 17
Burglary
(Including Attempts) 8 14 5 5 5
Criminal Damaging
(Including Attempts) 16 19 37 25 22
Criminal Trespassing
(Including Criminal
Mischief and Vandalism) 8 14 12 7 14
Disorderly Conduct 0 2 3 3 2
DOA 4 0 2 0 0
Domestic Dispute/Violence 18 18 19 17 36
Drug Offenses 64 10 2 2 4
Homicide 0 0 0 0 0
Kidnapping 0 0 0 0 0
Larceny (Grand/Petit
Theft)
(Including Attempts) 60 105 126 107 128
Missing Person
(Including Recovered
Missing Persons) 2 3 6 2 3
Menacing
(Including Telephone 10 8 6 9 7
Harassment)
Motor Vehicle Theft
(Including Attempts &
Unauthorized Use) 4 1 3 4 4
Rape/Sexual Assault 0 1 0 1 0
Robbery
(Including Attempts) 2 0 0 0 0
Suicide
(Including Attempts) 0 1 0 3 1
Miscellaneous Offenses 84 58 49 82 93
Total Offenses 293 269 281 283 341
15

COMMUNITY POLICING SERVICES
The New Albany Police Department provides several community policing services including:
Female Self-Defense Training, Student Resource and DARE Officers, and Child Safety Seat
education. We also coordinate the New Albany Safety Town Program and local Block Watch
neighborhood groups. The graph below shows the number of Safety Town program graduates
over the past years:
Safety Town Graduates
350
300
250
200
150
214
245
272
100
50
279
313
0
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
16

COMMUNITY POLICING SERVICES
The New Albany Police Department held three female self defense classes in 2008. Classes have
been taught to women who reside in New Albany, as well as to women who are employed with
TweenBrands, Discover Card, Church of the Resurrection, New Albany Wellness Center, Mount
Carmel Hospitals, Denison University, and New Albany High School. The graph below shows the
number of attendees for the last five years:
60
Female Self Defense Attendees
50
40
30
20
38
53
39
22
10
47
0
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
17

Summary
The New Albany Police Department made significant progress in several areas throughout 2008.
Most 2008 Goals and Objectives were met for the year and numerous projects and programs were
successfully completed. The department’s significant accomplishments for 2008 included the
following:
Developed an Honor Guard program. The Honor Guard presented the colors at the New
Albany High School Homecoming football game and was well received by the community.
Swore in a new, full-time police officer in January 2008.
Successfully completed our fifth Safety Town program during the summer of 2008. Over
1,000 students have now graduated from the award-winning Safety Town program.
Made several strides in increasing our technology within the Police Department including
the implementation of both Silent Dispatch and GPS tracking capabilities for our cruisers/incar
laptop computers and rolling out the community emergency notification system (Code
Red) for use in the event of emergencies.
Continued our successful Block Watch programs and held annual picnics in each of the five
Block Watch neighborhoods.
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2009 Goals
The New Albany Police Department sets numerous goals and objectives for the organization each
year. A highlight of upcoming 2009 goals and objectives include the following:
‣ Enter into a contract for our transition to the MARCS (Multi-Agency Radio
Communications System) program and purchase (via grant funds) and install new
compatible MARCS radio equipment by the end of 2009. This will allow our agency to have
interoperability with additional public safety agencies throughout the State of Ohio.
‣ Purchase and install a new audio recording system (and replacing an outdated system) that
will allow supervisors to more easily retrieve and record all police-related telephone calls
and radio transmissions. The old system is dropping calls and recordings which is a problem
in a public safety environment.
‣ Offer a new digital civilian fingerprinting program (WebCheck) that will allow residents and
employees to more quickly record and submit fingerprints to the State of Ohio for civilian
background checks.
‣ Offer expanded female self-defense programs to the residents and employees who live and
work in New Albany.
‣ Develop an employee Physical Fitness Incentive program.
‣ Continue to strengthen bicycle patrols and cross-training of personnel within all employee
classifications throughout the year to provide even better service to citizens, visitors, and
employees throughout New Albany.
In conclusion, we hope that you have found the New Albany Police Department’s eleventh Annual
Report both interesting and informative. Whether you read or obtained our 2008 Annual Report
via our web site or are in hard copy format, we believe that this report serves as another important
avenue of communication between you and the New Albany Police Department.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact the
New Albany Police Department by telephone at 614-855-1234; by mail at 50 Village Hall Road,
P.O. Box 271, New Albany, OH 43054; or on the web at www.newalbanypolice.org.
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Officer Catanese
Swearing In Ceremony
Introduction
Honor Guard
Beggar’s Night
20