The Mantua Township police monthly crime log for December – posted to Facebook on Jan. 3 – showed 2023 was the busiest year in the department’s history.
Police responded to 20,352 calls for service, made 628 arrests, wrote 1,842 tickets, took 1,994 investigation reports and handled 487 motor-vehicle crashes, according to the log. In December alone, officers handled 2,525 calls for service, made 74 arrests, wrote 169 tickets, took 141 investigation reports and handled 54 motor-vehicle crashes.
Calls increased over previous years, according to Police Chief Darren White, for a number of reasons. Among them was the department’s participation in December’s Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign to combat drunk driving. The amount of arrests made during the effort were 48% higher than in 2022, documented calls were 35% higher, and motor-vehicle stops were 33% higher.
“Firearms background investigations have increased significantly due to an increase in firearms ID applications, pistol permit to purchase applications, and the new concealed carry-permit applications,” White noted.
“Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCPP) background checks have increased due to the requirements of new Handle with Care and other juvenile-related notifications.”
The department also saw an increase in community shoplifting incidents of 117% since 2022, according to White. The number of stolen cars increased by 40% and the number of burglaries increased by 15%.
“Due to statutory limitations that have been placed on us,” White explained, “our ability to quickly obtain certain investigatory information has been diminished and requires significantly more work to obtain, and numerous other requirements have been placed on us due to police reforms, which necessitate considerably more paperwork for each officer. This paperwork compounds as it passes up through each successive supervisory rank.”
“Despite these additional obstacles,” he added, “officers have been out there doing our jobs more actively than ever.”
Mayor Robert Zimmerman, who took note of the statistics in his mayor’s message, praised the department’s efforts.
“We’re truly blessed to have one of the very best police agencies in New Jersey,” he said. “Our department is accredited by the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police and is held to one of the highest standards of professionalism in the country.
“In today’s difficult climate, our proactive administration has continued to lead a group of young and eager officers who are trained to address the criminal element head on,” Zimmerman added. “Making arrests and eradicating unlawful behavior in our community is prioritized.
“We thank them for the continued dedication and hard work.”
