The Billings Police Department fielded fewer calls for service in 2021 than in 2020, but aggravated assaults, weapons offenses and sexual assault increased.
Those were the main takeaways from the Billings Police Department's annual report released this week.
"At the end of the day when we do the math on that after the 89,000 that comes to a 6% decrease in total calls for service," Police Chief Rich St. John said during a presentation Friday. "So that is, that’s good."
While the number of calls for service, drug-related offenses and murders all decreased last year, violent crimes rose, continuing a years-long trend.
St. John attributes the continued rise to methamphetamine use and a backlog in the criminal justice system. He says 62% of police arrests last year were because of warrants.
"Why do we keep arresting them? Why do we keep dealing with these people?" he said. "Because of the jam up of the criminal justice system, struggling with public defenders, struggling with jail spaces."
St. John says the department next year will focus on increasing traffic enforcement as well as addressing violent crime and improving safety in downtown Billings.