The Wrangell Police Department presented local crime rates to the city this month.
Mayor Steve Prysunka has questioned if Wrangell PD is tough enough on crime, specifically drug use.
Police made four drug charges last year, some meth, some marijuana.
“These statistics don’t really hold up that we have a drug problem, but I have a lot of constituents that come up to me and say we have a meth problem in this community,” Prysunka said.
Prysunka wants police to dig a deeper to bust potential drug dealers in town.
Jim Debord questioned the increased number of traffic stops in 2018 and whether it was the best use of officers’ time.
Lt. Bruce Smith responded saying traffic violations are easy to spot infractions.
“We got a bunch of new guys on the force. Right now and that’s where they’re at, traffic stops and whatever they can come across,” Smith said.
Police issued 149 citations and 241 verbal warnings last year. `Providing proof of insurance or registration was the most frequent reason for citation.
“Generally not because a person doesn’t have it. It’s just because they can’t produce it at the time of the traffic stop,” Smith said.
The assembly did not ask much about theft or violence in the community.
Last year, police responded to 50 reports of theft, six of burglary, and six of vehicle theft.
Police also responded to 31 cases of assault, one case of sexual assault, and four cases of sexual abuse to a minor.
