The following City of Devine departmental reports for July and August were included in Council packets at the Devine City Council meeting on September 21.
Municipal Court
Traffic cases – 580 cases were on the docket and 61 were disposed, including 29 uncontested dispositions prior to court appearance or trial; 12 after deferred disposition; four after driver safety course; four after prosecution dismissal; and one after proof of financial responsibility. There was also one other dismissal.
Two cases were placed on inactive status. A total of 1,697 cases remained pending at the end of the month, including 514 active and 1,183 inactive cases.
Non-traffic cases – 385 cases were on the docket and 24 were disposed, including seven after deferred disposition; four uncontested dispositions; three dismissals by prosecution; and nine other dismissals.
Three cases were placed on inactive status. A total of 1,139 cases remained pending at the end of the month, including 358 active and 781 inactive cases.
Civil cases – Four civil cases were on the docket, and four remained pending at the end of the month.
Juvenile cases – Two transportation code cases were filed.
Additional activity – Seven arrest warrants were issued, including five for felonies and two for Class A and B misdemeanors.
A total of $10,394 in fines and court costs were collected, including $6,600.53 kept by the City and $3,793.78 remitted to the state.
Police Department
Eleven officers worked a total of 2,555.18 hours as well as 111.26 hours of overtime on 508 calls handled by dispatch.
Officers assisted other agencies 35 times, including four hours and 31 minutes on nine calls outside of city limits. Other agencies assisted Devine PD five times.
Breakdown of calls answered – 90 Animal Control; 61 suspicious activity; 45 traffic complaint; 41 talk to officer; 30 assist Public Works; 20 welfare concern; 19 information report; 17 assist public; 17 miscellaneous; 17 theft; 16 disturbance; 15 assist other agencies; 13 assist Devine EMS; 12 alarms; 9 minor accident; 7 criminal trespass/info; 6 escort; 6 civil matter; 6 assist agency report; 6 patrol-by; 5 warrant service; 4 traffic violation; 4 City Ordinance violation; 4 major accident; 4 narcotics offense; 4 burglary; 4 assault; 3 disorderly conduct; 3 use of force; 3 family violence report; 3 emergency detention; 2 vacation watch; 2 public relations; 1 assist City office; 1 assist Devine VFD; 1 lost property; 1 emergency warning service; 1 liquor laws; 1 natural death; 1 open door/window; 1 runaway; 1 criminal mischief; 1 sex offender registration.
Breakdown of citations – 32 speeding; 30 expired motor vehicle registration; 16 failure to maintain financial responsibility; 11 no valid driver’s license; 5 theft less than $100; 4 driving while license invalid; 3 possession of drug paraphernalia; 2 expired driver’s license; 2 changing lanes when unsafe; 2 disregard stop sign; 1 failure to display driver’s license; 1 failure to identify; 1 obstruction of driver’s view; 1 disregard red light; 1 child in open bed; 1 leave child unattended in vehicle; 1 possession of alcoholic beverage in motor vehicle (open container).
Breakdown of arrests – 8 theft; 4 driving while license invalid; 4 possession of drugs; 3 warrant service; 3 possession of drug paraphernalia; 1 failure to identify; 1 possession of alcoholic beverage in motor vehicle.
Animal Control
Ninety calls were answered in July, including 72 dispatched calls, nine animal adoptions, six animal euthanizations, two self-initiated calls, and one animal bite report.
Seventy-five calls were handled by Animal Control officers, and 15 were handled by police officers when Animal Control officers were off-duty.
Twenty-seven animals were adopted and 24 were euthanized.
Driscoll Public Library
A total of 1,005 library materials were checked out in August, and public access computers and print services were used 305 times.
Twelve new library accounts were opened and 20 additional library cards were issued.
Head Librarian Debra DuBose prepared final reports for the CARES Act grant the library received and has been training Library Aides Erika Kimberly and Heather Rodriguez on the weeding system recommended by the Texas State Library for the inventory and weeding of the library’s collection. The inventory is currently underway, and will see all of the library’s cataloged materials inspected for damage, circulation statistics, and missing/lost status.
The library continues to offer faxing, scanning, copying, and printing services.
By Marly Davis
Staff Writer