N.H. stay-at-home order results in fewer calls to police but spike expected in certain crime categories
By Alyssa Dandrea
Concord Monitor staff
Franklin Police Chief David Goldstein at the front entrance of the police department where they have installed new security measures to enter for both office areas and the communications section, making it more secure on Tuesday, April 14, 2020. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff
Since students transitioned to remote learning, shopping malls closed and restaurants became takeout-only, many police departments in the region have seen a noticeable drop in calls for service and officers are making fewer arrests.
As a result of the coronavirus crisis, police chiefs in the Capital Region say that since mid-March there has been a shift in the types of calls they’re responding to in their communities. For example, while traffic stops and motor vehicle crashes are down because far fewer people are driving, law enforcement officers say they are bracing for a rise in domestic violence, calls for mental health services and drug or alcohol-related crimes.
In some communities, including Concord, calls classified as “domestic disturbances” are already on the rise. While the city’s police force noted a 40% reduction in all calls for service between mid-March and early-April compared to the same time period in 2019, domestic disturbances are up 38% in recent weeks, Police Chief Bradley Osgood said. That call increase, however, has not resulted in more arrests.
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