MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Morgantown Police Department will continue the Safe Streets Initiative in downtown Morgantown until at least the end of the year.
During the first 12 weeks of the program, Deputy Chief Chris Ruehmer said MPD officers made 42 arrests and issued 58 criminal citations. Additional reports verified that arrests were made for DUI, disorderly conduct and drug possession.
“They wanted to do something that would increase police visibility downtown, increase the opportunity to interact with, and add an outreach component,” Ruehmer said on WAJR’s “Talk of the Town.”
The officers are directed to be visible and proactive while on the Safe Streets detail. Ruehmer said officers interact with residents, business owners, visitors, students and many of the people in our city that need assistance of some kind.
“That also affords them the opportunity to offer outreach services to those who might need help,” Ruehmer said. “I’m sure we’re all aware that Morgantown has a fair share of folks living on the margins of life and suffering from mental issues or addiction.”
The program has been executed at the street level by a department that has been about 20 officers short over the past 4 years. Despite the sacrifice required, Ruehmer said several are willing to take on the extra duty.
“It wouldn’t be as successful as it has been if it wasn’t for the police officers and supervisors being proactive and truly addressing issues as they find them,” Ruehmer said.
The downtown area changes drastically from the early morning when businesses are opening and the cups of coffee are being served. The busy midday with the lunch crowd to the evening when darkness provides the cover for criminal activity. The program places the officers where they will likely be needed based on historical data.
“Twenty percent of the guys are committing 80 percent of the crimes,” Ruehmer said. “So, if we’re able to intervene in someone’s life who’s breaking into a store or taking something out of someone’s car.”
The first stint of the program came with a price tag of $22,000, according to Ruehmer. That’s a number he said was a good value for the taxpayer.
“They work their regular shift and then they take time away from their families and come back to work and work a targeted initiative to work on whatever the goal is for that day.”