City Departments presented their annual reports on Monday

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The Washington City Council received the yearly reports from the city’s building commissioner and fire and police departments on Monday night.

Fire Chief David Rhoads reported the Fire Department made 1,193 responses in 2015.   20 were house fires, 10 vehicle fires, and 16 brush fires.  The Department also made 735 rescue and EMS related responses.  Rhoads said there were four major structure fires where off duty firefighters were called in.  Rhoads said three people were injured in one of the fires.

 

Police Chief Mike Healy reported the city’s police officers responded to 17,778 complaints in 2015.  3,679 of those were 9-1-1 calls.  The Washington Police Department investigated 254 criminal cases and cleared all but 7 which is a 97% clearance rate.  Officers worked 351 accidents which resulted in one fatality and 29 injuries.  The WPD made 3,517 arrests.  Of those,  1,500 were adult criminal arrests.  151 juveniles were arrested.

 

Building Commissioner Bryan Sergesketter reported that 21 new homes, 50 residential additions, 6 new commercial buildings, and 4 commercial additions were constructed in 2015.   Sergesketter noted that 251 Location Improvement Permits were issued, down from 321in 2014.  Sergesketter said the decrease was likely the result a drop in re-roofing permits from those needed to repair tornado damage in 2014.   Also, 9 derelict structures were acquired by the city as part of the blight elimination program.  37 structures were demolished, 31 of those were torn by the buildings’owners.