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Crime higher last month

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The Camp Verde Marshal’s Office was busier in September than it was during the same month a year ago, responding to nearly 25 percent more calls and incidents.

Much of that was the result of a continued trend of responding to many more calls in order to assist other agencies than in previous months, according to numbers recently released by the Town of Camp Verde.

Last month, the marshal’s office responded to 110 agency assist calls, compared with just 14 a year ago. Since the 2010-11 fiscal began July 1, local law enforcement has responded to 334 such calls.

Other increases in activity for the marshal’s office were far more modest. There was a marked increase in reported misdemeanor assaults, however, with nine reported cases compared to one a year ago.

The number of reported felony assaults went unchanged for the same period last year, with two incidents on record.

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There were four September incidents involving drugs or controlled substances, four reported DUIs, one reported sex offense and deputies responded to one reported suicide.

The month saw 23 reported traffic accidents, up from 14 the same period in 2009. Officers also reported 171 separate traffic offenses.

There were 10 reported cases of theft, down from 15 in September 2009, and two reported burglaries, one at a business and one at a private home. Ten cases of criminal damage were reported, along with 10 reported cases of domestic violence and seven instances of disorderly conduct. There were six reported weapons offenses, the identical number reported a year ago.

Deputies were called out to 17 incidents where juveniles were reportedly creating problems, one incidence of child abuse or neglect and three reported child runaways. Deputies investigated two reports of missing persons.

In terms of more minor offenses, deputies dealt with five noise complaints, responded to 19 activated alarms and came across four abandoned vehicles.

The town’s animal control department, which operates under the umbrella of the marshal’s office, responded to 84 calls, bringing the total to 240 for the fiscal year.

In total, September saw the marshal’s office respond to or report 790 incidents, up from 593 in September 2009.
In other town departments:

  • The public works department finalized plans for a buyer to remove the former Camp Verde Marshal’s Office, a manufactured building next to the town library on Black Bridge Loop Road. The streets department repaired 13 potholes, erected two new street signs and repaired 23 others. Town staff also began the process of reviewing the 30 applications received for the position of Public Works project manager. Maintenance crews performed a number of other repairs and upgrades around town, including tree planting along Main Street, the installation of computer stations at the library, streetlight repair and the pouring of new sidewalks in front of the old jail building on Hollamon Street, a structure being restored through a volunteer effort.
  • The Camp Verde Municipal Court heard several cases, including 24 misdemeanor and criminal traffic offenses, 11 DUIs, 61 other misdemeanors and 91 civil traffic cases.
  • The town clerk’s office issued 12 new business licenses, assisted with nine government meetings and assisted 221 customers.
  • The Community Development Department performed 25 property inspections, issued four notices for zoning violations and assisted 184 customers.

Numbers for October are expected to be released by the town later next month.

Mark Lineberger

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