If the current pace continues, Houston Police Department Sgt. Tim Ceplina figures the agency will finish 2014 having dealt with a record number of cases by a significant margin.
Ceplina said Monday that the HPD has already recorded its 350th case for the year and that No. 350 wasn’t documented last year until Sept. 9.
“We’re a good five weeks ahead,” he said. “and that’s not traffic tickets – we’re talking about investigated incidents and crashes.”
Crimes leading the way this year in Houston are assault and larceny, both of which are up from 2013, according to department records. Ceplina said auto accidents are also way up, with more being responded to so far in 2014 than in all of 2013.
HPD officers investigated a whopping 65 cases in both June and July, making the months two of the busiest in department history. The HPD’s current single-year caseload record of 523 was set in 2012. Ceplina thinks there’s a strong chance this year’s total will surpass the 550 mark and perhaps approach 600.
“When I started 21 years ago, we were averaging about 350 cases a year,” he said. “For the past few years, we’re averaging over 500, and we’re busier than ever right now. “It’s crazy.”
(Editor’s note: This story was updated at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 5, with additional information)