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Yearly crime stats reveal more than 1,000 arrests made locally

Thursday, March 29, 2018

More than 1,000 arrests -- including 260 for felony counts -- were made in Putnam County by the community’s largest law enforcement units during 2017, the Putnam County Prosecutor’s Office has announced.

Greencastle City Police, Indiana State Police, Putnam County Sheriff’s Department deputies and Cloverdale Police were responsible for a total of 1,095 arrests during 2017, Putnam County Prosecutor Tim Bookwalter said in making last year’s crime statistics public.

With 491 total arrests for 2017, Greencastle Police Department led all law enforcement agencies in the county in both felony and misdemeanor arrests for the fourth year in a row, Bookwalter said.

The 17 GPD officers investigated and made arrests in 330 misdemeanors and 89 felony cases during 217, the prosecutor reported.

“The addition of the drug dog (Cain) with Greencastle Police Officer Kyle Lee has put a real dent in the illegal drug activity in Greencastle,” Bookwalter pointed out.

With 309 total cases producing arrests, the Indiana State Police are next in the number of arrests. Those apprehensions included 263 misdemeanors and 46 felony arrests by 10 ISP troopers within Putnam County.

“They not only patrol the roads in Putnam County, but under the direction of First Sgt. Jason Fajt, his detectives handle most of the major felonies that occur within our county,” Bookwalter said.

The Putnam County Sheriff’s Department and its 21 merit officers were responsible for 88 felony arrests, just one less than Greencastle, and 174 misdemeanors for a total of 262 arrests in 2017.

Meanwhile, the Prosecutor’s Office reported the Cloverdale Police Department and its three officers made 37 felony arrests and 68 misdemeanor apprehensions for 105 total arrests last year.

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  • Many kudos to all of our Putnam County law officers for a job well done. A job I'm sure will continue .

    -- Posted by Nit on Thu, Mar 29, 2018, at 3:00 PM

  • Now if the DePauw students weren't given immunity for all their offenses that would land anyone else in jail...

    But, money talks, bullsh** walks!

    -- Posted by Geologist on Thu, Mar 29, 2018, at 6:53 PM

  • Volunteer FF - why are DePauw students being singled out? Upon arrest all go to jail depending on offense including DePauw students. Money may get everyone out quicker and easier, townspeople and students alike.

    -- Posted by Nit on Thu, Mar 29, 2018, at 7:51 PM

  • That may be all and good but what I don't understand or it isn't clear how many of those are duplicated. Some names you keep seeing over and over really???

    -- Posted by Dream-123 on Thu, Mar 29, 2018, at 9:28 PM

  • Nit - I have heard from radio traffic many times where the drunk DePauw student gets a ride back to campus while the townies get rides to PCJ.

    -- Posted by Geologist on Fri, Mar 30, 2018, at 6:04 AM

  • My biggest question is why a department with so many more police officers as the others has the lowest arrest rate? Maybe they need to patrol more?

    -- Posted by concernedcitizen3 on Fri, Mar 30, 2018, at 8:44 AM

  • Could it be? Only 4 man difference in GPD and PCSD. GPD has a smaller area to patrol and the PCSD with only 4 more officers patrol the entire county including the highways. Many times the PCSD is tied up on I70 for hours helping with an accident while the GPD is sitting over at DePauw catching students. Why is this becoming a 'who did the most work,' post? From the article it sounds like all officers should be commended for jobs well done. Just a thought.

    -- Posted by Nit on Fri, Mar 30, 2018, at 9:04 AM

  • Yes the officers are doing a great job! My point about DePauw students getting off too easy was directed at the DPU administration, not the officers.

    -- Posted by Geologist on Fri, Mar 30, 2018, at 9:47 PM

  • I question if PCSD is really patrolling that many miles of the county? Do we have GPS tracking on our county cars see what the officers are doing during their shifts?

    -- Posted by johnn on Mon, Apr 2, 2018, at 3:49 PM
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