Quarterly Update From Chief Cutshall

On behalf of the men and women of the Liberal Police Department, I would like to present your police departments quarterly report for 2021.

Our goal is to continue the culture change within the department by providing top quality service by maintaining a customer service approach towards the community. The idea that the police department is a business and the community members are the customers is the main approach. The officers and staff will soon be undergoing customer service training to complete the change.

During the past three months the police department continued our monthly residential walks speaking to residents, daily business contacts, monthly meal deliveries to our seniors, monthly crime stat updates on the department web page, daily courtesy calls to crime and traffic accident victims, and Facebook page updates. There is much more to policing than what has historically been seen and my desire is that the Liberal Police Department can be the leader in community policing within the law enforcement world in southwest Kansas.

As you will see below, over the summer months there was a continued decline in property crimes from 2020 such as thefts and burglaries. While the decrease in property crimes is a success, 2021 has also seen a small increase in traffic accidents and person crimes from 2020 such as assault and battery. My goal is to reduce traffic accidents and person crimes to a new record low.

Stats through July 31st 2021 compared to previous five years.

Offense 2021 2020 record high record low

Residential Burglary 18 in 2021 23 in 2020 record high 2017 (40) record low 2017 (17)

Aggravated Battery 23 in 2021 16 in 2020 record high 2019 (28) record low 2018 (20)

Accidents 350 in 2021 260 in 2020 record high 2017 (357) record low 2018 (319)

(due to numerous factors in 2020 record high/ lows from that year are not mentioned)

Other 2021 activity

Businesses checked by police 1241

Neighborhoods walked by police 11

Courtesy calls excess of 100