On January 14, 2020, Harrisville City held it’s first city council meeting of the year. At this time new members of the city council were sworn in as well as a new police officer.
Those who were sworn in were as follows: Council Member Blair Christensen, Council Member Grover Wilhelmsen, Councilman Richard Hendrix, Council Member Stephen Weiss, and new Police Officer, Jason Keller.
Council Member Stephen Weiss will be serving a 2-year term while Council Members Grover Wilhelmsen, Richard Hendrix, and Blair Christensen will each be on a 4-year term. Total council members are five with Clark Beecher.
Also recognized was former Council Member, Ruth Pearce, who served from January 2016-December 2019. Mayor Tait stood and presented her plaque and thanked Pearce for her years of service. On her plaque reads this statement: “For your professionalism, perseverance, and determination to achieve the goals of Harrisville City. Thank you for your service. Harrisville City Mayor and Council.”
Newest Police Officer, Jason Keller, is one of 8 officers who help protect Harrisville City on a daily basis. We’d like to extend a congratulations to all of the council members who are serving as well as Officer Keller.
Lt. Dennis Moore, with the Harrisville Police Department, stood and presented the Council Members, Mayor Tait and others in attendance, vital information regarding the Harrisville Police Department’s current status and needs.
We learned that Harrisville Police Department continues to experience an increasing number of calls per year. In 2016 the call volume was a total of 5,895. In 2017 it was 7,537. 2018 the calls reached 8,853, and in 2019 the total calls into the Harrisville Police Department was 9, 443.
Lt. Moore mentioned that according to City-Data.com Harrisville City now has the 3rd highest crime rate in Weber County as of 2018. Ogden and Riverdale Cities are the only two who have surpassed that crime rate.
Pleasant View’s crime rate was 89.7 and North Ogden as 72.8. In regards to these statistics, this places Harrisville in the same category as S. Ogden and Roy who had crime rates of 179.2 and 123.8.
At this time, Harrisville City is being covered by 8 officers. Jason Keller is the most recently hired officer.
Lt. Moore shared that, “This still places us behind as the officer must complete FTO before being placed on his own.” Additionally, Lt. Moore told us that, “We also have an officer working full time in the schools which is imperative that we do not lose.”
It takes around 200 hours for a new officer to become fully trained and less for more experienced ones.
Since Lt. Moore has been an officer, he has seen 23 other officers come and go.
A statement from the police presentation reads: “We strive to provide proper coverage and excellent service for our residents but that is becoming more difficult every year as we have failed to keep up with the wages offered by other cities and officers have left seeking higher wages.”
