KINGMAN — Kingman Police Chief Rusty Cooper presented the police department’s annual police report at the Kingman City Council meeting last week. The report shows that while some crimes have increased, overall crime has decreased by 10%.
The report shows that city police experienced a 6% increase in calls for “service”—when police are called to a scene. There was also a 25% increase in “officer-generated” activity, such as traffic stops, where police officers are not responding to a call.
Chief Cooper did not include everything in his presentation to the council, but he emphasized certain crimes, such as violent crime and drug offenses. There was only one Officer-Involved Shooting (OIS) last year.
There was an 82% increase in vehicle thefts. Chief Cooper says that most of this was due to an online internet trend involving the theft of Kias and Hyundais specifically. He says that those involved in that trend have been apprehended, and the thefts stopped completely.
Chief Cooper also said there was a 26% increase in domestic violence, as well as a 32% increase in drug related offenses. He attributed the increase in drug offenses to officer-generated activity.
Overall Adult arrests were up 25%, and Juvenile arrests rose 71%. 41 warnings were issued for unhoused people, with 15 arrests made, two of which were booked into jail. The city also saw a total of five fatal vehicle crashes last year.
Chief Cooper praised his department’s 68% clearance rate, which is the percentage of crimes that were resolved in one way or another. He also pointed to the 10% drop in crime overall, which is greater than the Arizona State average drop of 4% according to UCRNIRS, the state’s crime data system. Violent crime is also down 4.5% for the state of Arizona as well.
The police force is also down seven officers, Chief Cooper told the council. This total does not include two officers that are presently training at the Academy. The Kingman PD is also presently celebrating National Volunteer Week by highlighting the 20-year anniversary of its Volunteers in Policing (VIPS) program.
Anyone interested in becoming a Kingman Police VIP can visit the website at: https://www.cityofkingman.gov/government/departments/police-department/police-volunteers or contact Lieutenant Mike Godfrey at 928-753-2191.
