By James B. Bartle
The year 2009 saw a large increase in the number of calls answered by the Sullivan Police Department. Calls increased from 10,081 in 2008 to 10,295 in 2009, or 214 additional complaints answered.
The department saw a number of increases from 2008 totals in several areas. Those numbers in 2009 compared to 2008 were: arrests made, 458 in 2009 compared to 420 in 2008; felony arrests, 115, 105; ordinance violations, 234, 185; traffic violations, 691, 598; narcotics violations, 42, 35; domestic assaults, 212, 196; sex crimes, 20, 6;  and 911 calls, 3,046, 2,235.
Some areas that saw a decrease were: driving while intoxicated, 32 compared to 35 in 2008; traffic accidents, 226 down from 280; and clandestine labs, four in 2009 compared to five in 2008.
The department also saw some dramatic increases in animal control. The animal control officer picked up 550 animals in 2009 compared to 492 in 2008; however, of those animals some 330 were adopted compared to 178 in 2008. Thus, the animals destroyed decreased from 224 to 103.
The animal control officer responded to 1,732 calls compared to 1,634 in 2008.
Sullivan police chief, George R. Counts, commented that it was a very busy year for the department overall.
“Considering the tough economic times that are going on in our nation, we are very fortunate that major crimes have not increased,” said Chief Counts.