CITY OF EASTON POLICE EPARTMENT 2018 ANNUAL REPORT • In 2018 the City of Easton experienced an overall decrease in crime of 8.83% going from 2,141 to 1,952 incidents of reported crimes. UCR Part I crime decreased by 14.22% driven primarily by reductions in Rapes, Robberies, and Thefts. UCR Part II crime decreased by 6.64% driven mostly by reductions in Disorderly Conduct and Drug Offenses. Total calls for service decreased by 3.76%. • General overtime increased by 11.17% from 2017 to 2018. During 2018, the department was faced with 3 vacancies spread throughout the organization. There were also several other long-term medical vacancies requiring further backfilling of positions to meet manning requirements. Personnel issues also created some long term vacancies that had to be accounted for. With all of these challenges, the department faced in 2018 overtime remained under the budgeted amount allotted for the department. • 2018 represented the beginning of a new era for the City of Easton and the Easton Police Department as we have now enjoyed our first year in our new state of the art police facility. This new police facility is located at 48 N. 4th Street. We physically moved into the facility in November of 2017. This facility was the culmination of 10 years of studies, evaluations and planning to ensure that this endeavor would be nothing short of a tremendous success. The facility has been well received by the officers in the department, citizens of the city and visitors. We are grateful for the continuing support of the city and the city administration as we continue to make the City of Easton a safe place to live, work, play and visit. • In 2018 the Easton Police Department adopted a new department patch. This patch was designed by a member of the police department and was approved with overwhelming support by the members of the department. We believe this patch represents further professionalization of the department. • In 2018 the Easton Police Department began utilization of its new, state of the art, training facility. Multiple training courses were conducted in this facility for both in house training and educational opportunities for outside agencies. The training facility was also utilized to host various community meetings and allowed the department to interact with the citizens positively. • In 2018 the Easton Police Department engaged in an externship program with MCCANN business school to assist with the educational objectives of their criminal justice program. This Externship provides use of force training and scenario-based training to its students to help prepare them for opportunities in the law enforcement profession. • 2018 represented the Easton Police Departments first year of utilization of our new “TI” system, and as such we have exposed every officer to this scenario-based training with overwhelming success. This form of training has been shown to be the most effective in law enforcement and allows officers to utilize multiple types of force as they are presented in various situations and scenarios. The system offers over 600 scenarios which are interactive in nature and allow for positive and negative reinforcement based on officer’s actions as they handle challenging situations. The system also affords documented results from each scenario to be utilized during the debriefing of incidents to help officers learn from their efforts. • In 2018 the Easton Police department applied for and acquired grant funding to purchase body cameras for all officers. This technology is by far the best way for the Easton Police Department to continue providing accountability and transparency to the community. This technology also offers a layer of protection for the officers and the city against false allegations of misconduct as well as the citizens from officer misconduct. At this time we have begun the purchasing process and policy creation for the implementation of these cameras to occur in early 2019. • In 2018 the Easton Police department continued to work towards the implementation of our recently acquired Live Scan system. This system will save time for officers and create a safer environment as suspects can now easily be identified and ultimately conduct warrant and criminal history checks. This set up of this system has been a challenging endeavor having to coordinate with the state and the county however the system is currently being set up and should be operational in early 2019. • In 2018 the Easton Police Department acquired 18,000 dollars worth of tactical equipment from the Northeast Regional Counterterrorism Task Force and received a 5000 dollar grant from the Northampton County Drug Task Force to purchase a tactical ball camera. This equipment has been essential in keeping our officers safe as they enter homes in dangerous situations in the performance of the duties. • In 2018 the Easton Police Department purchased night vision technology for the patrol unit. This equipment will allow officers to safely search areas in complete darkness while doing so in the safest possible manner. • In 2018 the Easton Police Department conducted our second year of cultural diversity training with “Intersekt” Alliance. This contract with “Intersekt” Alliance provides “Cultural Competence Training” which shall continue to be conducted in 2-year cycles with the overall objective as follows: 1) Develop a framework to enhance cultural competence practice within the Easton Police Department and community. 2) Create an environment of awareness of self and others as well as the ability to navigate diverse perspectives in the community and in the police department. 3) Learn how to proactively and reactively manage conflict more effectively by providing tools to assist diverse groups as they work together during highly emotionally charged conflicts. 4) Maximize the participant’s ability to develop and build internal and external relationships effectively. • In 2018 the Easton Police Department hired 3 new police officers bringing the departments’ complement up to 62 officers. At the present time, two of the new officers are currently on patrol while one of the officers is still being field trained and should be released on full duty sometime in the early spring. • In 2018 GEDP, with the support of the Easton Police Department and the City of Easton, expanded the Ambassadors into the West Ward area of the city. This year the program was responsible for the removal of large quantities of garbage, the identification of code violations, and large numbers of citizen interactions on a daily basis. The program was met with overwhelming support by the citizens in the area, and I am happy to report the program will continue to expand its reach into the West Ward in 2019. • In 2018 the Easton Poice Department became fully engaged in the Lehigh County RIIC center allowing access for all Northampton County police departments. The Lehigh County Regional Intelligence and Investigation Center provides investigative and analytic support services to its varied law enforcement partners through Lehigh County. It is governed by the Lehigh County District Attorney and located in downtown Allentown. The Center employs three criminal intelligence analysts, two county detectives, part-time administrative support staff, and a center director to provide support services to the County’s local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. The RIIC’s state-of-the-art information technology system allows investigators from the center and local police agencies to search and analyze crime data at a countywide level. The primary data is derived from local police and prison records within the 16 Lehigh County police jurisdictions, Pennsylvania State Police, the District Attorney’s office, and the Lehigh County Prison. Additional local, state, federal, and national data sources are also integrated into the center’s systems. This endeavor for the inclusion of Northampton County has been ongoing for several years, and 2018 was the first year of the of full integration into the operation. The Northampton County Chiefs of Police will continue to strive to find support and funding for this endeavor as it provides invaluable resources to law enforcement and the community. • In 2018 The Easton Police Department began a new fleet leasing process for all city vehicles. Under this new program, the City of Easton Police department leased 4 new patrol vehicles to help maintain and update the department’s fleet. These vehicles continue to be all-wheel drive vehicles which have significantly improved the department’s ability to respond to calls, especially during inclement weather. The city administration should be commended for their insight and commitment to this program as it will serve to ensure that the department fleet is being turned over on a frequent basis and because of this turnover, the officers are operating the safest vehicles possible. • In 2018 the City of Easton Police Department purchased a brand new License Plate Recognition system. The License Plate Recognition equipment continues to be deployed and utilized on a regular basis. This equipment gives the department the capability to scan and recognize vehicle registrations in high volume. This equipment continues to be instrumental in helping identify and recover stolen vehicles as well as enforcement of other traffic code violations. The equipment reads and retains vehicle information for 30 days and allows for recall of that information when looking for suspect vehicles involved in crimes. It will be noted in our goals section that the department is looking to expand this endeavor and will look to purchase stationary LPR equipment for mounting in strategic places throughout the city. • In 2018 the City of Easton received approval to add additional parking spaces and additional meters to those already in existence. The department shall continue to upgrade the parking system, equipment, and operational procedures to ensure a user-friendly, fair and accurate approach to parking in the city. • The Easton Police Department continues to advance the application of its parking enforcement plan. We have implemented and continue to provide a mobile payment solution, Mobile Now, which allows customers parking in the city to quickly pay for parking on a mobile device. This device not only provides for payment but will notify visitors that time is expiring and will allow for additional payment to be made before falling into violation. • In 2018 the Easton Police Department identified and removed approx. 31 locations of illegal graffiti through the graffiti removal program. This program has once again shown to be extremely beneficial to the city representing one more way the department helps to keep the city clean and safe. • The Easton Police Department continued to upgrade its Taser equipment by purchasing 3 new X2 Tasers. . • The Easton Police Department continued further education and training of its officers. Many officers attended various training schools throughout the area in varying disciplines of law enforcement. • In 2018 the Easton Police Department conducted its first bike certification school which was attended by 4 Easton Police Officers and 6 outside agency officers. To that end, we certified 4 more officers as bike operators which shall further afford us the opportunity to put more officers in the community on bikes giving them more exposure to the citizens. • In 2018 the Easton Police Department continued its commitment of getting officers out of the vehicles and on foot in the communities. We have done this through directed foot patrols in all neighborhoods. These patrols are being documented to identify the effects of such patrol and for mapping out the need for future patrols. . The following are the goals and objectives for the Easton Police Department in 2018: 1. Continue to work on the new police facility located at 48 N. 4th Street. Although we have been in the new building for just over a year, there is still much work to do finishing the integration of the department into the new building. 2. Work to implement a fully operational body camera policy and program. 3. Work to create a daily patrol log for officers to help give them a voice in their productive enforcement efforts. 4. Work with the ambassadors in the West Ward as they continue to expand within the City. I believe the department’s involvement in this endeavor will be crucial to the success of the program moving forward. 5. Continue Cultural Diversity training within the department. 6. Conduct workplace harassment training for all Easton Police Officers. 7. Identify interested officers and train officers to become members of the Easton Police Department Bicycle Unit. 8. Continue to update the police fleet with all-wheel drive vehicles. 9. Rewrite the police pension ordinance. 10. Continue to identify and remove graffiti promptly from property located within city limits. 11. Purchase new thermal imaging equipment which would be available to the patrol unit for searching for suspects as well as injured and endangered people during their shift. 12. Develop disease immunization program and infectious materials policy. 13. Find funding sources to purchase new stationary License Plate Reader technology for utilization at select points of interest throughout the city. 14. Find funding sources to purchase new in-car video cameras. The departments in-car cameras are currently 10 years old and are beginning to fail. This in-car should be integrated with the new body camera program being developed by the department. 15. Continue to increase Police supervisory training for future administrative continuity and transition. 16. Continue participation with local, state and federal agencies via the Lehigh Valley Violent Crime Task Force and other entities to reduce crime and gang activity. 17. Continue to expand training for all personnel within budgetary constraints. 18. Continue to institute recommendations by studies where appropriate, practical and financially feasible. 19. Offer a new Lieutenants test. Create and certify a new list to be utilized for the promotion of Lieutenants within the department. Special Events The City of Easton Police Department is continuously utilized for many special events which were held in the City in 2018. The City of Easton has become a very desirable venue for special events and as such the list of special events grows each year. This growth is a true testament to the success and overall development of the city as a whole. Below is a list of some of the events the department was utilized in. 1. Beermuda Mardi Gras Parade 2. Special Olympics Polar Plunge 3. Easton Farmers Market 4. Spring into Easton 5. Memorial Day Parade 6. Polar Bear Motorcycle Club Gathering 7. Cruise Nights (Multiple Night Event) 8. Heritage Day 9. ACE Arts Tour 10. Bike Smart Easton(Multiple Events) 11. National Night Out 12. Lebanese Heritage Day 13. Hispanic Cultural Festival 14. 2018 Freddy Awards 15. Via Marathon 16. Movies at the Mill 17. Easton Area High School Bon Fire Parade 18. Riverside Arts Festival 19. Lambert 5k and 10k walk / Run 20. Garlic Festival 21. Halloween Parade 22. Jazz Concerts 23. Sunrise Services (Multiple) 24. Easton Pub Crawl 25. EFM Apple Jam 26. MC’s for MS 27. McMurtie 5k Run/Walk 28. Live at the Falls (Multiple Events) 29. Summer Nights 30. Easton Out Loud 31. College Hill Movie Night 32. Easton House Tour 33. Run for Hope 5k 34. Crop Walk against Hunger 35. Haunted Hugh Moore Park 36. 266 Birthday Celebration of EFM 37. Mayors Summer Youth Camp 38. Easton Laughs Comedy Night 39. EFM Apple Jam 40. Zuccinni 500 41. Cross-fit Advance Competition 42. National Town Crier Competition 43. Racin’ Bacon 5k 44. Fallen Heroes M/C Run 45. Easton vs. Phillipsburg Football Game 46. Veterans Day Ceremony 47. Peace Candle Lighting Ceremony 48. Lafayette College Alumni Parade 49. Racin’ Bacon 5k 50. Genesis Bike to Brunch (Multiple Events) 51. Karl Stirner Arts Trail Movie Night (Multiple) 52. Trek to Two Rivers walk 53. Law Enforcement Day 54. EFD Winter Coat Run 55. San Placido Procession 56. Downtown Easton Zombie Pub Crawl 57. City of Easton Haunted walking tour (Mult.) 58. Easton Trick or Treat Night 59. Bacon Festival 60. Genesis Ice Cream Rides (Weekly Event) 61. EFM Hot Pepper Eating Contest 62. Saint Patty Party 63. Clam Jam Festival 64. Twin Rivers Choral Festival 65. EPAL Recreational Walk and Bike 66. Weyerbacher 5k Hill Challenge 67. EFM Strawberry Day 68. Columbus Day Celebration 69. School of Rock Concerts (Multiple) 70. Live at Riverside Concerts (Multiple) 71. Lehigh vs. Lafayette Half Marathon 72. MS Run the US 73. DLP Half Marathon 74. 13th Annual Pre Game Movie Night 75. CHPC Strawberry Festival 76. Food Truck Festival 77. National Town Crier Competition 78. EFM June Bee Jamboree 79. Heritage Day Worship Service 80. Addiction Awareness Day and Walk 81. Lafayette Day 82. Lehigh vs. Lafayette Half Marathon 83. DLP Half Marathon 84. EFM Peach Day 85. Larry Holmes 40th Festival 86. Blue Buddies Community Relations and Activities 1. Participated and Instructed at the City of Easton’s Cops and Kids program 2. An officer has been assigned to be an active member in Easton Block Watch 3. College Hill Neighborhood Association 4. Easton Area Police Athletic League 5. West Ward Wise 6. Easton Farmers Market 7. South Side Civic 8. West Ward Business Owners Roundtable 9. Cub Scouts 10. Girl/Boy Scouts 11. Lafayette College 12. Boys and Girls Club 13. The Red Wagon Initiative 14. Easton Main Street 15. Easton Area School District 16. Guardian Angels of Easton 17. Easton Police Internship program. 18. Friends of Easton 19. Downtown Business Owners Roundtable 20. Village on College Hill 21. Easton Mother’s Club 22. Third Street Alliance 23. Shiloh Baptist Church 24. NAACP 25. Easton Area Opioid Awareness Task Force 2017 vs. 2018 Uniform Crime Report Comparison UCR Part 1 2017 2018 (+/-) (+/-) Homicide Rape Robbery Aggravated Assault Simple Assault Burglary Theft Auto Theft Arson 0 11 30 30 63 48 407 25 5 619 0 9 22 36 71 39 297 25 1 531 ------ 2 - 8 + 6 + 8 - 9 -110 ------ 4 - 88 -----------26.67% +20.00% +12.70% -18.75% -27.03% -----------14.22% UCR Part II Forgery Fraud Embezzlement Rec. Stolen Property Vandalism Weapons Offenses Prostitution Sex Offenses Drug Offenses Gambling Family/Child DUI Liquor Laws Drunkenness Disorderly Conduct Vagrancy All Others 2017 9 93 0 14 259 23 2 23 260 0 21 73 12 140 419 0 174 1522 2018 (+/-) 12 103 0 9 211 22 4 22 249 0 5 76 3 164 336 3 172 1421 + 3 + 10 ------- 5 - 48 - 1 + 2 - 1 - 11 ------ 16 + 3 - 9 + 24 - 83 + 3 - 2 - 101 ------+ 10.75% ------------ 18.53% ------------------- 4.23% ----------+ 4.11% -----+ 17.14% - 19.81% ------ 1.15% - 6.64% ARRESTS 2017 2018 Adults 461 411 - 50 - 10.85% 12 15 + 3 ------ Juveniles **Total Calls for Service 11,501 11,068 (+/-) (+/-) - 433 (+/-) -3.76% ** Total Calls for service represent documented calls only and is not indicative of all calls or requests for police services. Last year the department received 32,867 calls requesting some police service according to Northampton County’s 911 CAD systems. UCR Part 1 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Homicide Rape Robbery Aggravated Assault Simple Assault Burglary Theft Auto Theft Arson Total 2 10 35 39 54 143 517 64 16 880 1 2 34 43 68 101 492 42 3 785 2 8 23 34 73 60 435 19 7 661 1 7 36 34 73 49 369 33 5 607 0 11 30 30 63 48 407 25 5 619 0 9 22 36 71 39 297 25 1 531 UCR Part II 2013 12 78 1 2014 8 82 4 2015 10 83 1 2016 7 89 0 2017 9 93 0 2018 12 103 0 18 13 7 15 14 9 376 16 17 26 248 0 16 120 19 143 421 0 226 1737 341 25 8 26 334 0 6 110 3 143 333 1 258 1695 258 24 8 30 299 0 6 94 15 161 375 0 181 1552 255 11 4 39 310 0 10 90 6 142 350 1 185 1514 259 23 2 23 260 0 21 73 12 140 419 0 174 1522 211 22 4 22 249 0 5 76 3 164 336 3 172 1421 -16 +3 -9 +24 -83 +3 -2 -101 2013 608 2014 738 2015 591 2016 512 2017 461 2018 411 (+/-) -50 -10.85% 18 626 18 756 22 613 17 529 12 473 15 426 +3 -47 -9.94% 2014 11,402 2015 11,182 2016 11841 2017 11501 2018 11068 (+/-) -433 (+/-) -3.76% Forgery Fraud Embezzlement Rec. Stolen Property Vandalism Weapons Offenses Prostitution Sex Offenses Drug Offenses Gambling Family/Child DUI Liquor Laws Drunkenness Disorderly Conduct Vagrancy All Others Total ARRESTS Adults Juveniles Total TOTAL CALLS FOR SERVICE 2013 12,274 (+/-) (+/-%) -2 -8 +6 +8 -9 -110 -26.67% +20.00% +12.70% -18.75% -27.03% -4 -88 -14.22% (+/-%) +3 +10 +10.75% -5 -48 -1 +2 -1 -11 -18.53% -4.23% +4.11% +17.14% -19.81% -1.15% -6.64% (+/-%) City of Easton Westward Crime Comparison 2017 -2018 UCR Part I and Part II PART I 2017 Homicide 0 Rape 7 Robbery 19 Aggravated Assault 13 Simple Assault 30 Burglary 22 Theft 132 Auto Theft 15 Arson 4 242 PART II Forgery / Counterfeiting Fraud Receiving Stolen Property Criminal Mischief / Vandalism Weapons Offenses Prostitution Sex Offenses Drug Offenses Gambling Family / Child DUI Liquor Laws Drunkenness Disorderly Conduct Vagrancy / Loiter 2018 0 3 13 6 41 10 88 8 0 169 (+/-) - 4 - 6 - 7 + 11 - 12 - 44 - 7 - 4 - 73 (+/-) ------------- 31.58% ------+ 36.67% ------- 33.33% - 46.67% -------- 30.17% 4 0 - 4 ------- 24 14 15 10 - 9 - 4 ------------- 92 52 - 40 13 0 9 76 11 9 21 5 23 11 0 313 11 1 12 78 0 7 17 1 14 11 0 230 - 2 +1 +3 +2 - 11 - 2 - 4 - 4 - 9 ------____ - 83 - 43.48% ------+33.33% + 2.63% ------------------------- 39.13% ------------- 26.52% COMPARISON OF PART 1 OFFENSES 1984 - 2018 2,500 2,067 1,933 2,000 1,850 1,796 1,731 1,710 1,645 1,500 1,567 1,494 1,465 1,453 1,410 1,469 1,713 1,602 1,432 1,411 1,365 1,314 1,289 1,280 1,344 1,302 1,075 1,019 986 917 1,000 880 785 661 607 619 531 500 0 '84 '85 '86 '87 '88 '89 '90 '91 '92 '93 '94 '95 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01 '02 '03 '04 '05 '06 '07 '08 '09 '10 '11 '12 '13 '14 '15 '16 '17 '18 UNIFORM CRIME REPORTING STATISTICS COMPARISON OF PART 1 OFFENSES 1984 - 2018 2,500 2,067 2,000 1,933 1,850 1,796 1,731 1,710 1,645 1,500 1,567 1,494 1,465 1,453 1,410 1,469 1,713 1,602 1,432 1,411 1,365 1,314 1,289 1,280 1,344 1,302 1,075 1,019 986 917 1,000 880 785 661 607 619 531 500 0 '84 '85 '86 '87 '88 '89 '90 '91 '92 '93 '94 '95 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01 '02 '03 '04 '05 '06 '07 '08 '09 '10 '11 '12 '13 '14 '15 '16 '17 '18 UNIFORM CRIME REPORTING STATISTICS