Manitowoc Police Chief Nick Reimer reveals a 2020 year-end statistic that may surprise you.
“Crashes were at least at a five or six-year low. We had 1,032 traffic crashes reported to the City in 2020 compared to 1,268 in 2019.”
That’s a decrease of nearly 20 percent. Reimer gives one of many reasons why.
“We had the “Safer at Home” in place resulting in less traffic volume thus helping reduce crash responses and crime in general.” He adds, “We also tried to keep officers safer especially during the beginning of the pandemic and educate them how to handle traffic crashes safer.”
The MPD Chief says that keeping officers safe was a “blessing in disguise.”
“From the time officers get dispatched to returning to headquarters to finish their report can take an average of two to three hours. When you’re not responding to as many of these incidents it allows time to do other things.”
The MPD issued over 2000 citations and 3000 warnings in 2020 in large part to keeping officers safe during the pandemic but Chief Reimer reiterates to the public that “increased efforts will occur in 2021 as we (MPD) continue to be educated and apply what we learn to keep both officers and citizens safe.”
