As 1999 comes to a close, Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department officials are taking inventory and recording totals for the year’s end.

Wednesday, January 05, 2000

As 1999 comes to a close, Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department officials are taking inventory and recording totals for the year’s end.

In 1999, the sheriff’s department responded to a total of 9,488 calls and reports, said Chief Deputy Jim Cochran.

"The department has worked hard all year," Cochran said. "We receive and handle many more calls than I think the public is aware of."

Limited resources and a tight budget have put added work loads on the deputies who are on the roads responding to the calls, but the department claims response and follow-up to the calls, which included:

– 416 automobile accidents without injuries

- 62 accidents with injuries

– 207 assaults

– 64 dead body

– 95 animal-related reports

– 904 domestic related reports

– 131 intoxication related reports

- 186 fight reports

–  49 fire reports

–  73 runaway reports

–  860 larceny reports

-  39 missing persons

–  35 man with weapon reports

–  234 prowlers

-  41 sex offenses

–  78 discharges of firearms

- 132 stolen property calls

–  50 suicides

–  391 suspicious persons

–  640 vandalism incidents

–  861 threats or harassment reports

–  468 alarm activations

–  3,226 calls that were logged as information

In addition, the department received a federal grant from the United States Department of Justice to aid in local drug arrests.

"It was just a small grant, less than $10,000," Cochran said. "But, we have definitely put it to good use and have done the best job possible."

Resulting arrest and other totals from investigations funded through the grant include:

–  33 charges of trafficking in drugs

–  Five charges of possession of drug paraphernalia

– One charge of kidnap for hire

– Four stolen property charges

– One warrant for attempted murder

– Three charges of cultivation of marijuana

– One charge of preparation of drugs for sale

– Two tampering with evidence charges

"These are results from extensive investigations in the last five months," Cochran said.

Of these charges and during these investigations, officers also recovered more than $500,000 in stolen property and seized nearly $30,000 in money.

Total drugs recovered during the investigations include $13,135 and an additional grouping of marijuana plants with an estimated street value of $1.84 million.

Total results are still pending due to ongoing investigations.