Crime report: What was going on, what was no longer message in 2024

A quick look at the numbers shows that the calls after growth last year in the second year in a row increased significantly.

“We only have more to do,” said David Greathouse, Sheriff office of the Haywood County.

Although the jump was already significant, it could probably have been even higher this year if he hadn't been to the communication spread after Helene.

“That would have been much, much larger if the phones had not run out while Helene had not run out,” said Gina Zachary, public information officer of the sheriff.

Greathouse gave people the honor of patrol to take up this strongly reinforced call volume.

“Patrouille is the main support of what we do,” said Greathouse. “These boys do what they are handed over and what they have to do.”

After a few years of increasing calls and a higher workload, Greathouse is hopeful at the door.

“According to the fact of two to three years, it is always statistical growth that the money begins for us to win size and people,” he said. “It is a kind of waves. The more people we get, we try to play a catch. At the time we feel comfortable, there will be another influx.”

• 2023: 128 break and enter calls

• 2024: 223 break and enter calls

Most call types remained quite consistent from one year to the next. However, breaking and entering calls jumped last year.

“It probably has a little bit to do with Helene and looting,” said Greathouse. “I would say the immediate effect of the storm and then if there is not a lot of communication and people are not in the city and then they come back and see, I would estimate that this number is a rather large percentage.”

The request for additional patrol also increased, probably due to Helene.

• 2023: 1,524 demands for additional patrols

• 2024: 2,568 demands for additional patrol

• 2023: 281 arrests, 35 search commands, 55 indictment for human trafficking

• 2024: 214 arrests, 43 search commands, 65 indictment for human trafficking

The unit focuses on high crime problems, which result from disturbing locations, real estate crimes and narcotics, which makes their work more proactive than reactive.

“The more proactive we are, the better life is better,” said Greathouse. “We try to ruin your company – drugs, money, cars, all the stuff is used to maintain your business. The more we can disturb it, the better we will all be.”

• 2023: 3,279 papers served

• 2024: 5,751 papers served

While the sheriff's office lost a civil trial – deputy deputy of six to five -, the number of papers delivered by the MPs became in hand.

Just like with the increased call volume, a large part of this additional work fell on patrol members.

“It comes back to the patrol police officers. You get the raw business of everything,” said Greathouse. “If something is too short, they call patrol. If the civil hunters are short and need help, call the patrol. If the CSU heads and needs help, guess who we call – patrol.

• 2023: 2.011 charge for non -description in court

• 2024: 1.449 Charge for non -description in court

“People hate going to court,” said Greathouse. “I would say that these people, who do not appear, are probably in the same 5-7% of the population with whom we have to do regularly. They are like our regular frequent flyers.”

The failure of appearing charges may have dropped to Helene on the basis of fewer court meetings – the court hearings were closed for three weeks. But it remained the most constant fee in Haywood County.

In 2023, the MPs of the court department sat through 651 meetings in court. This number fell to 518 in 2024. In addition, the number of citizens who went through the metal detectors in the judicial center fell from 87.127 to 65,745.

He added that the sheriff's office usually does not look for people who do not appear in court.

“We generally do not look for these FTAs. This is generally cumbersome if we answer a call or stop a car. If we check it for arrest warrants, we generally only run on you,” said Greathouse.

• 2023: 10 tracks, 65 vehicle search, five prison searches, six school search, 610 hours of training, 25 templates for other agencies

• 2024: Six tracks, 80 vehicle search, two prison searches, nine school inquiries, 200 hours of training, 25 templates for other agencies

It was an up-and-gymnastics year in the K-9 division. This year's office of the sheriff lost two of its K-9-one for retirement and one after an illness.

“The K-9 are wonderful tools. They help us to find drugs, find all the stuff,” said Greathouse. “I know that you are trying to get a dog in every shift, but it is a living being. They have to be looked after. They get sick.”

The attempt to manage a K-9 is also difficult for the officers. They spend home with their dog-from a long working day all day home to the dog.

“The management of a K-9 is the equivalent to a child in your car. They have to be fed and irrigated. They have to reach so many training times a week,” said Greathouse.

• 2023: 588 cases, 68 search commands, 1.16 million US dollars in recessed property

• 2024: 574 cases, 76 search commands, 1.66 million US dollars in recessed property

Despite fewer cases in 2024 than in 2023, the department for criminal investigations carried out more searches and recovered more in stolen property in 2024.

• 2023: 2,929 people locked up (1,956 men, 973 women)

• 2024: 2,832 people locked up (1,954 men, 878 women)

While the number of people who were locked up in 2024 declined, it is interesting to look at the collapse. The decline came almost exclusively from the female population, although the male population year remained quite consistent compared to the year.

• 2023: 4,387 Missed incidents, 1,842 with arrest, 42% conversion rate closed

• 2024: 3,046 incidents reports, 1,046 by arrest, 34% conversion rate closed