Annual police report shows thefts increased

Police Chief Kyle Huber last week presented the police department’s annual report for 2009 to the Staples City Council.

The police in 2009 report the city had no homicides but that figures for both theft and suicides took a jump. Huber attributed those increases to the economy.

“We’ve had tougher times,” he said, pointing out 131 theft or theft related cases in 2009, compared to 109 in 2008 and 97 the year before. Likewise, the police handled seven suicide attempts last year compared to five the year before. In both years, there were two actual suicides.

Reports of property damage in town increased from 56 to 66 over the past two years. People sometimes fail to report minor damage, Huber said. “We want them to call. Sometimes something insignifi- cant to them might mean something more to us.”

In contrast, the city had 10 fewer vehicle accidents in 2009 than the year before.

The department’s calls included 124 calls to assist on ambulance calls, a number up from the previous two years. The department’s 141 calls to assist other agencies included 53 assists to Todd County sheriff, 23 for the Wadena County sheriff, 23 for Morrison County or city of Motley, 10 to Cass County and 25 to assist State Patrol.

Huber’s full report is on file with the city clerk’s office and also is available at the Staples Police Department office.

Huber also reported the department is adding to their technology. They received three used mobile data terminals from the Wadena County Sheriff’s Department this past year that are in use. They are in the process of finding funds for the purchase and installation of cameras in the two primary and one of the secondary squad cars.

They are also finishing up their first year in the new Staples Police Department office building. “Thank you for the building,” Huber said, adding the officers all are enthused about their quarters that have attracted the attention of other law enforcement. Officers from other departments have commented on the offices and building, he said.

Huber reported the department is investigating the use of ‘revenue recapture’ procedures to see if delinquent fines and other fees can be collected through the use of state and federal income tax refunds for payments.

In a related manner, the council okayed Huber’s request to pass a resolution authorizing administrative citations for certain traffic offenses as outlined in recent state legislation. A previous use of administrative fine payments became so widespread the state was losing funding. The fine can only be for $60 and $40 can be retained by the city and $20 must be sent to the state. The list of violations which administrative citations can be used includes just 16 very specific items, such as speeding if the offense is less than 10 miles per hour over the posted limit.

The resolution approving the administrative citations was approved with the council appointing Robert Blessing of Staples as a neutral third party to hear and rule on appeals of administrative citations.

In other matters, the city council:

o Approved a labor agreement with Local 3628 of the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) covering the city’s Street Department and Community Center employees. It called for a zero percent increase in 2009 wages and 2 percent for 2010.

o NOTED plans call for the construction this summer of a 50 by 45 foot snow removal equipment building at the Staples Airport. Staff from SEH engineering is currently finalizing the plans and specifications for the building. The airport advisory board and city council are expected to approve the building plans and do the bidding process in May, with construction this summer.

o OKAYED three resolutions needed to apply for grants for the Legacy Trail system through three separate state DNR trail programs. Two of them require the city to provide a 50 percent match, the third calls for a 25 percent match.

o HEARD Candy Nichols describe a Central Minnesota Re-Entry Project she is working with. CMNRP, she said, will attempt to provide mentors in the community to help inmates returning from prison to re-enter the community. Its three main goals are to protect the public, contribute to safer communities and reduce re-offending, she said.

o HEARD City Administrator Nate Mathews cite the efforts of Friends of the Library members Gloria Palmer and Brenda Halvorson, along with Librarian Ellen Peters, for their work in planning and coordinating the library/ city hall open house held Feb. 25-27.