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A more aggressive crackdown on crime is keeping the streets of
Owenton safer.
In 2005, the Owenton Police Department set out to increase its
number of routine traffic violation stops with the hope that it
would lead to more arrests.
The end result was a banner year for the Owenton Police Department.
At last week’s city council meeting, Owenton Police Chief
Terry Gentry submitted a report stating that in 2005 drug arrests
were up 20 percent, felony drug arrests were up 50 percent, and
the police department broke its yearly arrest record by 113 arrests,
with 32 of those arrests occurring in December.
“I don’t think the drug traffic and the crime has
increased that much,” Gentry said. “I think we’re
just catching them.”
Gentry said that in 2005 the police department made a more concerted
effort to pull over a higher number of traffic violators, often
handing out warnings for minor offenses.
A more aggressive crackdown on crime is keeping the streets of
Owenton safer.
In 2005, the Owenton Police Department set out to increase its
number of routine traffic violation stops with the hope that it
would lead to more arrests.
The end result was a banner year for the Owenton Police Department.
At last week’s city council meeting, Owenton Police Chief
Terry Gentry submitted a report stating that in 2005 drug arrests
were up 20 percent, felony drug arrests were up 50 percent, and
the police department broke its yearly arrest record by 113 arrests,
with 32 of those arrests occurring in December.
“I don’t think the drug traffic and the crime has
increased that much,” Gentry said. “I think we’re
just catching them.”
Gentry said that in 2005 the police department made a more concerted
effort to pull over a higher number of traffic violators, often
handing out warnings for minor offenses.
But an increase in traffic stops led to an increase in arrests
when police officers were able to apprehend passengers found to
be in violation of more serious crimes.
“I think we have some people questioning the number of stops,”
Gentry said. “I think in this case, the good outweighs the
bad. It’s leading to other things.”
Mayor David “Milkweed” Wotier praised Gentry and the
police department for their work in 2005.
“I think our police department is on top of things,”
Wotier said. “Their intent is to make sure this is a safe
place to live.”
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