ROCKINGHAM — Violent crime in the city limits rose significantly in 2021 from the previous year, according to data provided in the Rockingham Police Department’s annual report.
Chief George Gillenwater, who took over in November as the city’s top cop following the retirement of Billy Kelly, presented the report to the Rockingham City Council Nov. 8.
Gillenwater told the Council that the rise in gun violence and homicides — specifically involving youth — was seen across the nation, not just in Rockingham.
Police investigated six homicides last year — three of which occured in January — compared to just two in 2020 and one each from 2017-2019. Of those cases, four of the victims and at least one of the suspects were 18 years old or younger.
The report also shows that 10 cases were categorized as attempted murder and 58 involved a handgun “in a violent crimnal act.”
According to the report, there were 11 robbery arrests. Although that number is up from the previous four years, it is lower than the 14 and 15 reported in 2015 and 2016, respectively.
Assaults also rose from 110 to 177, but the six-year peak was in 2017 with 307. There were more than 220 assaults in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019, the report shows.
While there were no reported rape, gambling or arson arrests in 2020, last year saw five arrests for rape and two for arson.
There were 344 total felony arrests in 2021, nearly 50 more than the previous year. However, that number was lower than the totals for 2016-2019. Those arrests resulted in 570 charges.
The department also made 382 misdemeanor arrests with 707 charges, according to the report.
Of those charges, 170 were related to drug activity.
Gillenwater said that clandestine methamphetamine labs have decreased, mostly due to the rise of crystal meth and fentanyl. The department’s Vice/Narcotics Division reportedly investigated three manufacturing complaints in 2021, but no arrests were made.
The N.C. State Bureau of Investigation has not updated its statistics since 2019, when there were three in Richmond County.
One officer, Detective Keeley Sutton, is sworn in with the SBI and the FBI and handles all of the “doctor shopping” cases, which Gillenwater said can take up to a year to work. The one “doctor shopping” arrest in 2021 was a result of an investigation that began in 2019, he said.
Gillenwater added that there are currently three such cases under investigation.
With Sutton’s involvement with the FBI, Gillenwater said the department, in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, was able to federally indict five violent offenders in 2021.
The department also disposed of 276 pounds of unused medication through its drop-off box at the station and participation in Operation Medicine Drop.
As for the Traffic Team, officers investigated 521 reportable collisions — where the damage exceeds $1,000 and/or an injury is reported — in 2021, 49 of which resulted in injury. The division also issued 920 citations.
The Traffic Team also earned enough points from the Governor’s Highway Safety Program to purchase a car camera license for the crash data retrieval system at no cost to the department, according to the report.
The department was awarded a $20,000 grant from the GHSP for Sgt. Marcus Ricks serving as the law enforcement liaison for Richmond, Anson, Stanly, Hoke, Lee, Moore, Scotland, Montgomery and Cumberland counties.
Former chief Billy Kelly previously served in that capacity and the department has received the grant for the past 11 years.
According to the report, the department was able to purchase a car camera system and a pole-mounted speed display sign with the grant, which also “helps to cover training and travel expenses for our traffic enforcement officers.”
In November, the department applied for a $24,225 grant — which was awarded in January — to replace four portable radios and purchase civil unrest equipment.
Gillenwater said that the department also continues to encourage education and training, noting that officers logged 1,783 classroom hours of training in 2021.
Included in the report is a list of the numbers of officers with academic degrees and law enforcement certifications:
- 1 – doctorate
- 2 – Traffic Investigator’s certificate, Tactical Training certificate
- 3 – Master’s degree
- 4- Bachelor’s degree, Unmanned Aerial Flight School
- 7 – Criminal Investigator’s certificate
- 8 – Intermediate Law Enforcement certificate
- 9 – associate degree
- 22 – Advanced Law Enforcement certificate
The Department also had two officers become certified CPR instructors and two who became EMT certified.
When it comes to community involvement, the COVID-19 pandemic has put a hold on National Night Out and the summer Junior Police and Fire Academy. However, the department was able to participate in its Shop With a Cop program and help 10 children purchase Christmas presents.
