Statistics about arrests and calls for police service frequently coincide with social trends and ills. The numbers and detail provided below have been gleaned from Annual Reports when available; note that since different Chiefs reported different stats for different years, the exact type of information isn't always consistent from year to year. Quotes are taken from the narratives written by the Chief of Police.
 
Click on a decade to see the statistics available. While you're there, click "What was this decade like?" to see Kingwood College Library's fun decade overviews.
   
 
 
1918 through 1920s
1918
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
1926
1927
1928
1929
 
Chief
Hubbard
Niles
Bennett
Packard
Total Arrests
25
13
8
--
21
28
13
7
4
37
165
73
Total Calls
--
--
--
--
--
121
108
94
124
80
--
100
                         
   
1918 
"The recorder shows that 25 arrests have been made. These include assaults, drunks, disturbing the peace, and robberies.
   
1919 
"The members of this department have maintained order in the several sections of the town, especially during the last few months, when outsiders have threatened trouble."
   
1923 
"The Department has worked in co-operation with the federal officers in prosecuting violators of the liquor law, and has had the support of the state constabulary when required."
   
1928 
"Because the Met. Water Dept. employing so many men of a type foreign to our town, and because of their way of living, the number of arrests in Holden have jumped from 37 in 1927 to 165 in 1928. The arrests have covered a large variety of crimes, from murder to motor violations. "
   
   
 
 
 
1930s
   
 
1930
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
 
Chief
  
Packard
  
Arrests
85
99
100
50
46
46
60
86
106
74
Calls
 
--
--
150
100
--
--
--
--
120
242
  
                         
                         
1936 
 
"We have been called upon to investigate varied offences [sic[] from the door-to-dooor salesman and the fruit and vegetable peddlers, the former have not always been as courteous as they should be."
   
1938 
"We had a number of breaks and robberies this year, one of which was termed by a Superior Court Judge as one of the most vicious he had ever heard of."
   
1939 
"We have had too many breaks and attempted robberties this year. It shows that it is known that we do not have full time police protection, which under the present economical condition is very bad."
   
                         
                       
                       
 
1940s
                         
     
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949
 
Chief
  
Packard
McInnis
Arrests
 
67
83
50
--
--
2
11
2
14
18
Calls
 
337
390
299
378
516
426
478
--
--
--
                         
                         
1941 
"The traffic problem becomes more acute each year with the increased number of cars and trucks on the road. The people that drive modern cars seem to find it harder to confine their speed to a reasonable limit."
   
1942 
"We cannot help but feel that the young folks did not co-operate at all times as well as they might, for this Department has been very fair with them."
   
1944 
"The department held Hallowe'en parties which were well attended and we wish to thank the young folks for co-operating with us and making these parties a success."
   
   
                       
                       
 
1950s
                         
     
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
 
Chief
  
McInnis
Miles Traveled
       
20285
21967
38434
63005
61878
68172
Hours Labored
        
4,448
5389
7049
8235
9675
11241
Arrests
  
13
15
17
23
37
15
16
28
23
29
                       
                       
1954 
"The first police cruiser in Holden history was delivered and put into service on May 5th."
   
1958 
"Complaints of dogs killing sheep: 6 ....killing hens: 2 ....killing pigs: 1 ....killing cows: 1."
   
   
                     
                     
 
1960s
                         
   
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
Chief
  
McInnis
Oliver
Miles Traveled
 
71162
Hours Labored
 
13057
Arrests
  
46
13
27
23
18
62
56
103
116
183
MV accidents investigated
 
119
121
170
161
98
111
143
137
138
162
MV accidents reported
              237
234
228
266
Telephone Calls
                
11654
19307
31856
   
   
1966 
"All fifty-six persons arrested were locked up in the City of Worcester jail at Waldo Street until such time as they could arrange for bail or be brought to Trial. For this extended courtesy by the Worcester Police Department, Holden owes a debt of gratitude."
   
1967 
"The adoption of Radar Speed Control is anticipated for 1968 by the Police Department in an effort to make Holden a safer place in which to live."
   
   
 
 
1970s
                         
     
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
 
Chief
  
Oliver
Lindfors
 
Arrests
  
213
240
225
152
297
211
223
218
265
195
 
Felonies
43%
42%
32%
28%
28%
29%
26%
30%
36%
33%
 
Misdemeanors
57%
58%
68%
72%
72%
71%
74%
70%
64%
67%
 
# charges filed
417
592
511
477
378
376
434
 
Total B&Es
 
84
73
58
64
121
95
120
79
108
51
 
Daytime
43
35
33
75
59
 
Nighttime
30
23
31
46
36
        
MV accidents reported
 
306
262
254
221
306
270
291
312
356
288
               
 
                     
     
 
1971 
Narcotics arrests rose from zero in 1968 to 22 to 1969, 70 in 1970 and 69 in 1971.
     
 
1977 
"Note: Drunkenness is no longer an arrestable offense."
     
     
 
 
 
1980s
   
   
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
 
Chief
  
Hicks
 
Arrests
  
193
207
301
365
336
326
299
280
303
236
Felonies
31%
25%
28%
29%
26%
17%
8%
9%
19%
18%
Misdemeanors
69%
75%
72%
71%
74%
83%
92%
91%
81%
82%
# charges filed
446
475
583
517
455
525
346
481
362
Total B&Es
 
86
63
47
59
29
75
33
41
40
50
MV accidents reported
 
270
302
294
249
248
292
294
291
303
275
Citations issued
1677
2170
2848
3547
3322
4536
5298
3990
5667
5594
Service calls
           
2370
2697
2934
5966
4761
                       
                       
   
1985 
"In reviewing the statistics for 1985 in the areas of Crime and Highway Safety we note a marked increase in serious crime affecting the persons and property, along with a substantial increase in the number of motor vehicle accidents."
   
1987 
"Arrests were down significantly, crimes against property such as breaking and entering and larcenies wree up and crimes against persons were down, but the severity appears to have increased."
   
1989 
"Due to the increase of drug dependent people committing housebreaks and crims against the people, the Worcester County Breaking and Entering Task Force continues to meet on a regular basis to gather and exchange information."
   
   
   
   
 
1990s-current
 
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994-1998
1998 - current
Chief
  
Hicks
Sherrill
 
Arrests
  
289
254
263
240
 
Felonies
20%
20%
15%
18%
 
Misdemeanors
80%
80%
85%
82&
 
Calls
  
3687
4396
7761
7634
Breaking & Entering
 
42
39
76
47
 
Accidents
  
203
186
193
158
 
Citations
  
6015
4934
2351
3805
               
               
     
 
1990 
"We continue to work to combat the drug problem. Last year we had 15 drug incidents resulting in numerous arrests and confiscation of drugs and related paraphernalia."
     
 
1991 
"In 1991 "scams" against the elderly became a problem in Holden. There were two confirmed cases which resulted in the arrest of a man and a woman from Worcester."
     
 
 1993 
"I would like to remind people that today's criminal is part of a very mobile society and we have had housebreaks committed by people from well outside of Worcester County."
     
 
1994 
"As you will note, we have a new computer-generated format that breaks out the various types of complaints in much more detail than in previous years."
     
 
1997 
"The Detectives investigated a wide variety of offenses in 1997, including 78 larcenies, 31 breaking and entering, 31 missing persons, 7 stolen vehicles, 15 narcotics violations, 55 assaults, 9 stolen bicycles, and 3 unattended deaths."
     
 
1998 
Top 4 months in calls for service:
      July, November, October, December
    Top 3 days in calls for service:
      Friday, Saturday, Tuesday
    Top 3 busiest hours:
      3:00 pm, 4:00 pm, 6:00 pm
    Top 3 accident months:
      May, January, December
    Top 3 accident streets:
      Main Street, Reservoir Road, Highland Street
    Top 3 accident days:
      Thursday, Friday, Sunday
    Top 3 accident hours:
      3:00 pm, 2:00 pm, 12:00 noon
    Average speed of ticketed motorist:
      48 MPH
     
 
1999 
In 1999, we had $102,550 worth of property stolen, of which we recovered $38,039, or 37% of the amount stolen.