Wrangell Sentinel -

The Wrangell Police Department has released their 2012 Year End Report – and it shows an uptick in some crimes, with a downturn in others.

During 2012 the department responded to 2,264 calls into dispatch and filed 121 criminal cases, according to WPD Chief Doug McCloskey. In terms of the correction unit of the department, the Wrangell Jail held 144 prisoners for a total 1,323 man-days, with 25 of the inmates listed as female and 119 males incarcerated for a variety of reasons.

The results of the statistical research shows that under alcohol offenses in the Borough, citizen reports of Driving While Intoxicated went up from seven calls in 2011 to 11 calls in 2012, while DWI cases remained steady at 19 for the year. Cases of intoxicated individuals were also up by two last year to 16 cases, while cases of furnishing alcohol to minors went down in 2012 to just one case. There were three reports in 2011.

Assaults were also down in 2012, with 20 cases reported in 2012 compared to 39 in 2011. Sexual abuse of a minor showed a sharp increase last year with seven cases reported versus just two cases in 2011.

Property crimes showed an overall decline with 21 criminal trespasses in 2012 compared to 31 the year before. Larceny from residences was also down with seven cases in 2012 – there were 17 cases reported in 2011.

Disorderly conduct cases saw a large increase last year, however, with 17 cases reported. There were seven such cases in 2011. Discharging of firearms illegally was up, though, with seven cases in 2012, as opposed to two cases in 2011.

Physical arrests were also down in 2012 by 46 cases with just 70 offenders taken into custody in 2012.

According to the report, all but one of the correctional officers working in the jail has completed a required Alaska Department of Corrections training course. The officer in question will complete the course this spring, however.