Jeffersonville Police: the numbers and the duties

Dec. 19—JEFFERSONVILLE — While the violent crimes or major drug arrests catch public attention, that's not what heads the list of the most frequent Jeffersonville Police Department cases.

For JPD officers, most of their time is spent ensuring public safety as they patrol and respond to concerns of residents.

There are 91 police officers and support personnel now serving the City of Jeffersonville (population 50,345) 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The department is authorized for 92.

Of those 91, there are 60 in the Uniform Patrol Division. Those officers are assigned 8.5-hour shifts five days a week.

There are four School Resource officers; 14 officers assigned to investigations, six to administrative duties with two district captains, and five assigned to training/community policing, technology support and records.

What do the reports show about how the time of these officers is spent?

"Officers spend significant amounts of time responding to calls for service; this is servicing our community with requested police service as reported by callers," explained Chief Kenny Kavanaugh. "These callers may be requesting an emergency response or public safety response for policing services."

When asked for the most frequent calls, JPD searched its computer files and responded that what they call traffic tops their list. That means what the patrol officers see on the street or the calls they answer responding to needs or concerns.

Next in the line was assists. That is most frequently helping firefighters or EMS workers on a call.

Suspicious activity is third. That kind of call most often comes from a resident who has seen something in a neighborhood or on the street and calls to alert police.

Burglary is fourth in line when a homeowner or business finds it has been a victim or sees a burglary in progress.

Coming right behind burglary calls from an individual is responding to burglar alarms going off and notifications going to police.

Kavanaugh acknowledged that the paperwork officers deal with also has increased, but he said "leveraging 21st century policing practices in conjunction with the criminal justice system, the paperwork process is streamlined.

"Officers can work from within their assigned patrol units from within the field and designated assigned patrol areas of responsibilities. This agency and numerous agencies around the country are embracing the technology aspects of policing within the circumference of daily policing operations," he said. "The capabilities and interest of the new younger generations using and applying technology does have and possess numerous advantages that I have personally witnessed within the past five years.

The last few years have been a challenge for law enforcement agencies nationwide in multiple ways from the cases of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor to public criticism of and challenges to officers' actions.

Along with many professions, many law enforcement agencies are finding it more difficult to find and hire recruits. The Indiana State Police this year had the lowest number of recruits it has ever experienced.

When asked about turnover in JPD, Kavanaugh said that "in the last five years, this number is easily 20-plus." Some have been caused by retirements; others were resignations to move into other careers of interest or smaller agency policing operations with a slower pace and workload, he said.

Police officers are required under state law to live within a 50-mile radius of the municipality they work for. With more than 10 law enforcement agencies not counting Indiana State Police just within the immediate area, there is plenty of competition for those who want to be police officers.

What are the difficulties he sees in recruiting? Kavanaugh in an email topped his response with two points:

—Finding and identifying people who want to legitimately enter the field of policing while recognizing the responsibilities to provide public safety to our community.

—Accepting and embracing the challenges of the policing profession and committing to applying positive actionable responses. The factors of working through tough situations for resolution, while producing sustainable outcomes for resolve as a competent police officer.

"This is the reasonable expectations of the American public for law enforcement/policing services right now without any exceptions," he noted.

Kavanaugh has marked a decade as chief and was inspired to his career choice by his father who was a Jeffersonville Fire Department chief.

"Recognizing the responsibilities of being a first responder, who can make a difference, I observed my father closely being a Jeffersonville firefighter and public servant," he said. "I entered law enforcement as an opportunity to serve my home city and community as a police officer to support and ensure public safety."

What satisfaction has he received during his career?

"First, contributing to a team of committed people, then leading a team committed to supporting public safety through achieving positive outcomes within our city.

"Every day facing the challenge of public safety and service to our community; this is true motivation accepting the responsibilities of duty to reasonably protect the public with genuine care and concern and a partnership thought process for engaging and working with citizens in our community.

Kavanaugh also noted that they are mindful of helping officers as much as possible.

Jeffersonville Police is moving further into officer wellness, he explained citing the hiring of Chaplain Conrad Moorer, a volunteer for more than 25 years, as a part-time staff member.

Chaplain Moorer is part of the New Recruit and In-Service Training Curriculum with Jeffersonville Police officers regarding officer wellness.

"These are meaningful and appropriate programming measures that law enforcement agencies should be examining to support and reasonably take care of their people," Kavanaugh said.

This is the time of year when the public sees police officers in many places with the multiple Shop with a Cop or Shop with Firefighter programs to ensure as many children as possible have Christmas gifts.

But, what Major Isaac Parker, Public Information Officer for JPD, notes are the other multiple ways officers on their own time serve in the city, especially interacting with young people as coaches and in youth groups.

Parker in 2019 became the head football coach at Jeffersonville High School after he was an assistant coach for the previous four seasons.

"We believe in being part of our community," he said.