January incidents up 8.5 percent

RBC — The combined incidents for the Rio Blanco County Sheriff’s Office and the Meeker Police Department continued on trend logging another increase during January 2009, with an 8.5 percent increase in activity from 2008.
Total incidents received through the communications center increased to 1,046 in January 2009, up from 957 in January 2008. The number of calls for service decreased slightly for the sheriff’s office with 250 incidents in January 2009, down from 264 last year. The number of traffic stops increased significantly from 382 in January 2008 to 539 in 2009 for the sheriff’s office. The Meeker P.D. responded to 164 calls for service during January 2009, up slightly from 161 last year. Traffic stops for the Meeker P.D. decreased dramatically with 62 stops in January 2009, down from 111 stops in January 2008.
Activity for both agencies includes these most notable classifications: 601 traffic stops; 42 motorist assists; 32 VIN inspections; 31 traffic arrests; 29 accidents with property damage; 27 suspicious incidents; 22 animal calls; 19 warrant arrests; 18 citizen assists; 17 incidents assisting other agencies; 14 incidents assisting the Colorado State Patrol; 12 thefts; 12 traffic complaints; eight alarm calls; seven civil situations; seven DUIs; seven juvenile problems; six disturbances; six narcotics cases; six property cases; five fraud cases; four assaults; four criminal mischief cases; three hit and run accidents; three fires; two domestic violence cases; two harassment cases; one arson case; one liquor/MIP violation and one sexual assault.
The Rio Blanco County Detention Center continued to operate above maximum capacity during January 2009 housing an average daily inmate population of 23.32 inmates, with 21 males and 2.32 females, up from an average daily inmate population of 22.1 inmates in Dec. 2008. During January 2009, an average of 2.26 male inmates were housed in facilities outside of Rio Blanco County costing the county $4,250, down from $6,000 in December 2008. The number of bookings also increased in January 2009 with 101 people processed in the detention center, up from 92 bookings in Deccember 2008. Of the 101 people processed 88 were jailed and 13 were booked and released. The number of meals served by the detention center decreased from 1,861 meals served in December 2008 to 1,708 meals served in January 2009.