The Danville Police Department, with a current sworn staff of 5 full-time police officers (1-TBH), 5 part-time police officers (1-TBH), and a full-time secretary, provides a complete range of public safety and community based services. These include emergency response, criminal investigations, motor vehicle enforcement, juvenile services, and a wide array of community focused crime prevention programs.
Despite these difficult economic times, I was relieved to find that it did not have a great impact on the total number of crimes and offences reported last year. In fact, many areas continue to show positive trends. Thefts were down 27%, burglaries showed little change after a 50% reduction the previous year, arrests were down 39% and the number of DWI arrests was cut in half. One area of much concern though is the number of drug offences that we are encountering. Heroin has found its way into many of our neighborhoods and the number of prescription drugs being sold illegally is staggering. Combating this type of activity will be no easy task, nor will it be short lived. It is clearly the biggest challenge for the police department. In preparation, we have begun to partner with the Rockingham County Sheriff Department’s Narcotic’s Task Force with a number of our investigations to utilize some of their resources, which also affords us the opportunity to share information and help prosecute offenders out of our jurisdiction. One such investigation resulted in the seizure of $410,000.00 in cash and approximately $50,000.00 in various types of jewelry, vehicles and property. We have since established a “Drug Forfeiture Account” and it is our hope that a good portion of these monies will be returned to the police department to help further our campaign against illegal drug activities.We continue to suffer with inadequate police facilities at the existing Kimball Safety Complex. When the Complex was constructed and opened in 1988, the police department was only suppose to be housed there for seven years until a new larger police station was built. Nearly 24 years later, the police department is still working out of the same four small rooms that were allocated for use within the building. A recent tour of the station by Health and Safety Advisors from the Local Government Center (Insurance Provider for the Town) produced a list citing a number of inadequacies; some which were recognized to be uncorrectable in the existing facility. As a result, we are aggressively looking at new locations in town for a police station and are working with qualified organizations to conduct site feasibility studies and draft proposed plans.
As in years past, we co-sponsored the Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony together with the Recreation Committee. To our delight, we also had one of the best attendances ever. The Danville Community Center was packed full of families and friends who were treated with pizza and snacks. Of course the children were able to visit with Santa who presented each of them a gift, which helped kick off the holiday season. I would like to offer special thanks to the Bielecki family, Al Hess, and the Fire Department for all their help making the evening such a great success. This year we plan to expand our community service programs by hosting “movie nights” and “summer concerts” featuring local artists. These events will take place outdoors at the Day Field throughout the summer. If you are interested in performing, or know of a musician or band that would be willing to perform, please contact the police department with the information. A schedule of events will be posted once it has been arranged.
The Danville Police Department will introduce a new
“personal empowerment” safety education program this year for 5- to
12-year-olds. The radKIDS® Personal
Empowerment Safety Education Program is a 10-hour program that strengthens
family, encourages physical fitness, and teaches core safety values to live by.
Fun, activity-based programs include lecture, safety drills, muscle memory
exercises, as well as physical resistance options to escape violence. The
radKIDS (Resist Aggression Defensively) nationwide non-profit program will teach
lifesaving skills to children in a series of five two-hour sessions.
Among other topics, children will learn:
Class
size will be limited to 10 kids in similar age groups.
Registration and class dates will be announced once they are scheduled.
Finally,
I would like to recognize my entire staff for their astounding commitment to
their profession and their individual accomplishments; and there have been
plenty. On behalf of my entire
department, I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to the residents
of Danville for your abiding support. It
is a pleasure to serve you and I am proud to call Danville “home”.
As always, my best wishes to all of you for a safe and happy 2012.
Wade H. Parsons
Chief of Police
Below is a partial summary of our calls for service:
| CATEGORY (Partial Listing) | 2011 |
| 911 HANG UP | 21 |
| ABANDONED MOTOR VEHICLE | 2 |
| AIDED MOTORIST | 49 |
| AIDED PERSON | 122 |
| ALARM | 68 |
| ARRESTS | 77 |
| ASSIST FIRE DEPT | 44 |
| ASSIST OTHER AGENCY | 22 |
| ASSIST OTHER POLICE | 122 |
| ATTEMPT TO COMMIT ARSON | 1 |
| ATTEMPT TO COMMIT CREDIT CARD FRAUD | 14 |
| ATTEMPTED SUICIDE | 3 |
| BAD CHECK | 1 |
| BENCH WARRANT | 4 |
| BURGLARY | 10 |
| CHILD NEGLECT | 1 |
| CIVIL STANDBY | 21 |
| COMMUNITY SERVICE | 2 |
| CONDUCT AFTER AN ACCIDENT | 4 |
| CRIMINAL MISCHIEF (VANDALISM) | 30 |
| CRIMINAL THREATENING | 7 |
| CRIMINAL TRESPASS | 9 |
| DCYF INTAKE (Investigation) | 1 |
| DEFAULT OR BREACH OF BAIL CONDITION | 1 |
| DISOBEYING AN OFFICER | 1 |
| DISORDERLY CONDUCT | 3 |
| DOMESTIC DISTURBANCE | 70 |
| DRIVING AFTER REVOCATION OR SUSPENSION | 5 |
| DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED | 14 |
| DRUG INVESTIGATION | 6 |
| EMOTIONAL CHALLENGED PERSON | 3 |
| ENDANGERING WELFARE OF CHILD | 2 |
| FATAL ACCIDENT | 1 |
| FIREWORKS COMPLAINT | 3 |
| FOLLOW UP | 45 |
| FORGERY | 2 |
| FUGITIVE FROM JUSTICE | 1 |
| HARASSMENT | 25 |
| IDENTITY FRAUD | 6 |
| INVESTIGATION | 3 |
| INVOLUNTARY EMERGENCY ADMISSION | 4 |
| JUVENILE COMPLAINT | 27 |
| LITTERING | 3 |
| LOST PROPERTY | 8 |
| MEDICAL | 70 |
| MISSING PERSON | 7 |
| MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS | 35 |
| MOTOR VEHICLE COMPLAINTS | 21 |
| MOTOR VEHICLE VIOLATIONS | 926 |
| NEIGHBOR DISPUTE | 5 |
| NOISE COMPLAINT | 22 |
| NOTIFICATION | 5 |
| OHRV COMPLAINT | 15 |
| PARKING COMPLAINT | 13 |
| PHONE SCAM | 6 |
| POLICE INFORMATION | 69 |
| POLICE REPORT OF ACCIDENT REQUIRED | 7 |
| POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED DRUGS | 7 |
| POSSESSION OF DRUGS IN A MOTOR | 5 |
| POSSIBLE DWI | 3 |
| PROTECTIVE CUSTODY | 6 |
| PUBLIC HAZARD | 8 |
| RADAR ENFORCEMENT | 625 |
| RECKLESS CONDUCT | 1 |
| RECKLESS OPERATION | 16 |
| RECOVERED PROPERTY | 12 |
| REPOSSESSION | 4 |
| RESTRAINING ORDERS | 25 |
| ROAD HAZARD | 36 |
| RUNAWAY JUVENILE | 1 |
| SECURITY CHECK | 380 |
| SERVE PAPERS | 113 |
| SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION | 10 |
| SHOTS FIRED | 10 |
| SIMPLE ASSAULT | 13 |
| SPEED COMPLAINT | 2 |
| STOLEN PROPERTY OFFENSES | 1 |
| SUICIDE | 2 |
| SUSPENDED REGISTRATION | 3 |
| SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY | 49 |
| SUSPICIOUS MOTOR VEHICLE | 69 |
| SUSPICIOUS PERSON | 28 |
| TAMPERING W/WITNESSES | 2 |
| THEFT | 33 |
| TOWN ORDINANCE VIOLATIONS | 11 |
| TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT | 17 |
| TRANSPORTING ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE | 3 |
| UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF ALCOHOL | 8 |
| UNPERMITTED FIRE/BURN | 3 |
| UNTIMELY OR UNATTENDED DEATH | 2 |
| UNWANTED SUBJECT | 3 |
| VIN VERIFICATION | 48 |
| VIOLATION OF PROTECTIVE ORDERS | 1 |
| WARRANTS | 10 |
| WELL BEING CHECK | 29 |
| TOTALS | 3668 |