RUMFORD — Crime and complaints for police service spiked significantly from July 2011 to June 2012, compared to the same time last year, Chief Stacy Carter said recently.

“We’ve seen a pretty significant increase in a lot of the calls and calls for service in several different categories,” he said.

For instance, calls for service were up by 237, from 4,466 last year to 4,703 this fiscal year. 

Aggravated assaults were up three from none last year; simple assaults were up 38, from 69 last year to 107; domestic violence complaints were up by 41, from 84 last year to 125; burglaries were up by 24, from 39 last year to 63; and thefts were up by 87, from 112 last year to 199.

Carter attributed it in part to officers being tied up responding to more complaints about fireworks (50 or 60), which became legal on Jan. 1, budget constraints that reduced police visibility in town, and the economy.

“I think one of the things that’s not out of the norm is that most crimes are a nexus to drug and alcohol use, so that certainly plays a factor,” he said.

Carter said there’s not a whole lot he can do differently to address the spike in calls.

“I only have two people out there per shift, so we address it the best that we can,” he said. “But with only two officers on, we’re mostly reactive rather than proactive, because to be frank, I guess, our budget’s been cut over the years.”

Visibility is going to deter traffic crimes and other crimes, he said, but officers can’t do that when they’re at scenes doing followup work or gathering information.

“If I had a utility officer that was able to fill a shift and save overtime, when he’s  not filling that shift, he would be an extra person out there, which would give us more visibility and stuff,” Carter said.

“So if this trend continues, I’ll be looking at (selectmen) adding a utility officer so that we can try and be more proactive,” he said.

One statistic that decreased was operating under the influence complaints: from 42 last year to 38 this year.  However, he said he suspects that’s because the officers were busy handling the spike in other complaints rather than keying on drunken or drugged driving enforcement.

Rumford did lose a bar, The Barnboard, also called The Shack, and that might contribute to lower OUIs, Carter said.

“But it’s hard to say whether people are getting the message or aren’t, or we’ve been tied up on these other complaints and haven’t had the opportunity to focus much on it,” he said.

That’s why he’s pursuing a new $10,000 highway safety grant that runs from December through September, rather than two $5,000 grants that only cover specific time periods during December and August.

“We get a lot of our speed complaints and we try to address those as time permits, but with calls for service being up, the officers are tied up with that and aren’t able to always address those,” Carter said.

“So with these grants from highway safety, they allow us to have someone come in and do a four-hour patrol specifically for that problem area, paid for by the Bureau of Highway Safety. So those grants are much needed and very welcomed.”

In other police news, officer Michael Belanger resigned Oct. 5. Carter told selectmen Thursday night that he has already started advertising the position.

He’s also working on creating an Alzheimer’s/dementia register to better help police find people affected with those illnesses who wander away or are missing.

Carter said he’s trying to work with other police departments in the Oxford, Franklin and Androscoggin county areas.

“It’s on the increase, so we’re trying to stay a little ahead of the game here,” Carter said.

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