Wheeling Police: Drug Overdose Calls Decreased In 2021
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WHEELING -- The city of Wheeling saw its biggest decrease in drug overdoses last year compared to the last five years, according to the 2021 crime statistics released Friday by the Wheeling Police Department.
That drop joined drops in several serious crimes over last year, including significant decreases in robberies, burglaries and sex crimes.
"The residents and visitors to our city should be extremely proud of the Wheeling Police Department's officers and civilian staff," Wheeling Police Chief Shawn Schwertfeger said. "Despite year-long staffing issues with COVID-related illnesses and delays in hiring, we carried on our mission to enhance the quality of life in and around Wheeling."
Overdose calls, which had climbed for several years prior to last year, finally saw a drop. Police responded to 210 overdose calls in 2021 compared to 231 in 2020.
"It is possible we are turning a corner on the hundreds of overdoses we respond to yearly," Schwertfeger said.
Schwertfeger said there was a 14% increase in overdose deaths, with the city seeing three more people dying in 2021 compared to 2020. In 2021, there were 27 overdose deaths.
"Why the deaths happen, it's purely fentanyl," he said of the dangerous drug.
He attributes the overdoses decreasing by 9% to the department partnering with the drug rehabilitation center Serenity Hills. When an overdose patient is transported to the hospital, Serenity Hills is contacted to have a counselor come and talk to the person about entering treatment.
"Thanks to the continued partnership with organizations like Serenity Hills Life Center, investigations with our Drug Task Force and more education and treatment, we hope the trend continues downward," he said.
Drug overdose statistics include all types of illegal drugs.
The biggest contributor to that decrease in overdoses is the department's "intelligence-led policing." This involves looking at the relevant data, determining where the problem areas are and taking a proactive approach there. The department's "Nighthawk" operation that focused on 10th and Main streets was an example of this, he said.
"Sadly another issue that comes up that possibly made overdoses go down is that we have a laundry list of people who have overdosed multiple times, as many as 10 times, and some have perished as a result," Schwertfeger said.
Along with overdose calls, police also responded to 286 medical calls with the Wheeling Fire Department.
The department's total calls for service increased by 5% last year, from 19,363 in 2020 to 20,434 in 2021. The WPD attributes this to more activities being held post-COVID lockdowns, such as fairs and festivals, and more traffic on the roadways.
The department breaks down its crime statistics into categories of "serious" and "less serious" crimes. The department responded to 1,890 serious crimes, which fell by 5% overall. Serious crimes include assaults (down 5%); burglary (down 32%); robbery (down 48%); vandalism (down 18%); larceny/theft (down 5%); and sex offenses (down 25%).
Three serious crimes increased in 2021: drug offenses (up 17%); fraud (up 26%); and child pornography (up 108%, with 25 cases in 2021 compared to 12 cases in 2020).
He noted most of the majority of the fraud cases are categorized as "fraud with an access device." An example would be a drug addict breaking into a vehicle, stealing a purse inside that contains a credit card or bank card, and then using it to purchase something that is used to trade for drugs. Another example is identity theft.
Schwertfeger attributes the fall in the number of serious crimes to the department being proactive in its policing, including in areas with higher rates of crime. For example, if a police officer sees a person acting suspiciously in an alleyway, they stop and talk to the person. This may lead to preventing a possible break-in or robbery later. He also said better interdepartmental communication and sharing of intelligence are factors.
The department responded to 1,637 less serious crimes, such as traffic citations, in 2021. Other statistics include DUI calls, 79; crashes, 1,241; traffic citations, 2,437; and 544 false alarms.
The department currently employs 71 officers, but a full-staff at WPD is 78. The department averages 14 vacancies at any point in time, as there are six to seven officers who are in various stages of training, which takes up to a year.
Schwertfeger said he hopes to hire more officers this year. Testing is on Feb. 26. The starting salary is about $42,000 a year.
He noted it has been difficult to attract new officers and keep them.
"We've hired several people, but soon after entering the academy they decide they are not cut out for it and quit. No one wants to do this job anymore," he said. "We take one step forward and one step back."
To attract and keep officers, Schwertfeger said in addition to better pay and benefits, society as a whole needs to change its attitude about police officers.
"We're not a bunch of racist, violent people," he added.
He said some of the issues the department will focus on this year will include staffing issues, homelessness and the high number of traffic crashes, as there were 1,200 in 2021. The department does not have a dedicated traffic unit, but can use funding from the Governor's Highway Safety Program.
The department will also continue focusing on its intelligence-led policing. Schwertfeger said overall he is pleased with the current trends, adding the city of Wheeling remains a safe place to live.