A look inside the BPD for the last four years

Just over four years ago Pat Baker was named Bolivar Chief of Police and a look back over the last four years shows the department’s progress and results under the leadership of Baker.
In addition to the recently acquired body cameras for officers, the Governor’s Highway Safety Office (TNGHSO) grant has funded equipment and overtime for Bolivar to gain new equipment as well as conduct DUI saturations at no cost to the city.
“Our department really appreciates GHSO for funding equipment and overtime for officers to come in and do saturations and look for impaired drivers,” Baker said. “Without GHSO, it would be impossible for us to provide that service.”
During 2014, Bolivar seized 53 vehicles in drug and alcohol arrests, confiscated $25,000 in cash, almost $150,000 in drug fines, and totaled over $200,000 in seizures, arrests, and court fines for the year.
“In four years, there has been a steady decline in crime. It is down 35 percent over the past four years,” Baker said. “The department has a clearance rate of over 60 percent of reported crimes (60.31%), which is the rate of crimes solved and arrests made of crimes reported.”
The state clearance rate is 39 percent and West Tennessee average is 30.4 percent.

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