Wheeling Police Chief Shawn Schwertfeger released last week crime report data that revealed that criminal activity connected to the city’s homeless population had spread into more neighborhoods than previously reported this past summer.
In September, Schwertfeger replied to a Freedom of Information Act request asking for data concerning the amount of reported crime connected to the homeless population in the city. Out of 294 arrests made between June 1 and August 31st, nearly 40 percent of all crimes committed in the Friendly City involved those classified as homeless or situationally homeless. Those classified as situationally homeless are individuals who offered law enforcement an address when apprehended but were found to frequent homeless camps to associate with homeless individuals.
Last week, Schwertfeger revealed the concentrations of the reported criminal activity and the arrests made during the same three-month period. The most criminal charges for homeless individuals took place in the downtown Wheeling area (33) – most of which took place near the waterfront, according to the released data – and East Wheeling and Woodsdale (19 each) followed in second.
Wheeling’s Heritage Port area also was most popular when it came to criminal charges filed against those listed as “situationally homeless” individuals. A total of 27 charges were levied following reports in the downtown area, and 21 arrests took place in Center Wheeling, as well.
Schwertfeger reported a list of offenses such as battery, domestic violence, theft, breaking and entering, fugitive from justice, destruction of property, petit larceny, disorderly conduct, and malicious wounding.
“These stats have opened eyes about the homeless with a lot of people in the city because, unless you’re directly involved somehow, you’ve not had to pay attention,” the chief said. “But now that these issues have spread to other parts of the city, many more people are paying attention now.”
The following graphics/statistics were included in the FOIA information provided by the Wheeling Police Department:
