Pelton shares year end report highlight past year's caseload

There were two homicides in the county in 2022, compared with a total of four in 2021, while reports of rape increased to 29 from 28 year over year. The number of assault cases declined from 424 in 2021 to 423 last year, according to data compiled by Pelton’s office. 

The sheriff’s department reported nine armed criminal action cases and two robbery calls in 2022 — the same number as in 2021. Arson reports were also the same at four each year. The sheriff’s department investigated 140 burglary cases in 2022, down slightly from 143 handled the previous year. Reports of stealing were also down in 2022 with 539 cases reported, compared to 582 cases the previous year. 

Reports of stolen vehicles also declined last year to 117 from the 130 reported in 2021, as did property damage cases — 278 to 311 in 2021. Driving while intoxicated cases were up last year with a total of 71 reported, compared to 61 cases in 2021. 

“All in all, the crime data from 2022 is very comparable to 2021,” Pelton said. “While there was some improvement in certain categories, the statistics are very similar year over year. Our deputies and investigators were busy.”

The sheriff’s department responded to 53,620 calls for service in 2022 — up slightly from 52,982 calls in 2021. Pelton said a “call for service” could mean anything from taking a phone call from a citizen regarding a suspicious person to a school safety check or responding to an assault in progress. That number is significantly higher than in 2018 and 2017 but Pelton attributed that to changes in the methodology in reporting calls and better self-reporting by deputies. 

The average inmate population at the Franklin County Adult Detention Center in 2022 was 165, compared to 124 in 2021, which Pelton said was due in part to more cases being prosecuted after the COVID-19 pandemic and the acceptance of more federal inmates which began in September of last year.  A total of 4,521 individuals were processed or “booked” into the jail in 2022 — slightly higher than the 4,502 individuals booked in 2021. Pelton explained that the jail  takes in people detained by his department, various municipal police departments in the county, as well as the Missouri Highway Patrol.

Pelton said his department responded to 276 calls for a “suicidal subject” in 2022 which was up over the 264 calls in 2021. 

The sheriff’s department investigated 11 drug overdose deaths last year as compared to 10 the previous year. Pelton said there were 92 cases where an individual survived a drug overdose in 2022 as compared to 108 in 2021. Pelton said his deputies used Narcan to revive an overdose victim a total of 77 times last year. 

Pelton said his deputies generated  a total of 9,304 police reports in 2022, compared to 11,384 the previous year. Pelton said his department currently employs 157 people including clerical staff which is down about 10 or 11 employees from a year ago.