National Animal Control and Dispatcher Appreciation Weeks

The Faribault Police Department reminds us this week is Animal Care and Control Appreciation Week and National Public Safety Telecommunications Week.  Faribault Captain Neal Pederson says they are very appreciative of their partners at the Rice-Steele 911 Center.

When you make an emergency call they are the ones who ask questions and get you the assistance you need.  Pederson says just like other first responders the dispatchers are trying to adapt to the changing environment caused by the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Faribault Police also recognizes the hardworking CSO (Community Services Officers) staff who respond to any animal control concerns.  These include animal bites, neglected animals, loose dogs and cats and wildlife calls.

CSO Officers Chloe Robinson, Susie Irvin and Yasmeen Mesta are supervised by Doug Delesha.

I asked Pederson if Faribault still has a feral cat problem.  He indicated complaints have gone down considerably.

Here are the CSO calls for service numbers from 2019 compared to 2018:

• Animal Complaints  814           915 (2018)
• Animals Impounded  51           119 (2018)
• Ordinance Violations  1,135     1,123 (2018)
• Parking Tickets       1.018            793 (2018)
• Park Patrol Checks  1,007           705 (2018)

Total 2019 patrol calls include:

• Calls for Service     28,504 (78.1 per day)  28,562 (2018)
• Written Reports         5,310                           5,136 (2018)
• Traffic Stops              3,615                           3,903 (2018)
• Citations Issued        2,427                            2,285 (2018)
• Traffic Crashes            555                               591 (2018)

Property damage                  499                        Injuries     56

DWI arrests                             66                       49  (2018)