Peoria police dispatch lines were a bit quieter at the start of the stay at home order. But those phones are ringing more often the longer COVID-19 precautions go on.
That's according to Peoria Police Chief Loren Marion. He said for the first week or so of the executive order, calls for service dropped 62% compared to the same period a month prior.
Marion said that number is back on the rebound, especially within the last few days as weather gets warmer. He said the bulk of calls are reporting social gatherings in violation of the shelter in place order, but they’ve also seen a spike in domestic violence cases.
"Just from listening to the radio and seeing the bookings, we’ve seen an increase in domestic violence,” he said. “I’ve also noticed an increase in suicides — there have been more calls for suicides.”
He said calls for service then increased 56% the week of March 25 through April 3. But he said that’s still down about 10% from the same period last year.
Marion eluded to financial trouble and the stress of isolation as possible reasons for the increase in domestic violence and suicide calls. He said the rate of other incidents, like property crimes and gun offenses, is on par with usual.
Peoria police are handling some cases a little differently to prevent the county jail from getting overcrowded during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Marion said the jail is currently taking felony arrests and some misdemeanors.
He said when people commit other crimes that would usually result in going to jail, they're instead getting notices to appear in court. That includes things like warrants, drug possession, or trespassing.
"If it's a repeat offender, if we've dealt with this person two or three times in a short amount of time, we will contact the jail and see if they will take them,” he said.
Marion said weapons charges are still eligible to be transported to jail, as are all domestic violence cases.
If you or someone you know are struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts, support and information on local resources are available by calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800)273-8255.
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