As part of the Spy Newspapers and WHCP Community Radio (91.7) ongoing news collaboration, the Spy’s Dave Wheelan and WHCP’ Mike Starling have begun regular check ins with Easton Police Chief Alan Lowrey to talk about public safety in the community.
In our first interview Chief Lowrey shared insights on public safety and year-end statistics. Lowrey reported that, as of November, they logged 24,353 activities for police officers, showing a slight increase over the previous year. Notably, criminal incident reports were down by 13%, while accidents remained steady.
One significant change Chief Lowrey discussed was the decrease in weapons seized and controlled substance charges, including a 63% drop in heroin charges and a 71% decrease in firearms recovered. He attributed this shift to the legalization of marijuana and the resulting inability to use its odor as probable cause for searches during traffic stops.
The interview also touched on challenges related to impaired driving due to the legalization of recreational marijuana. Chief Lowrey emphasized the need for parameters to determine THC impairment levels, similar to alcohol, to address this concern.
Regarding recruitment, the chief expressed the importance of finding qualified applicants to maintain the force’s standards. He mentioned efforts to improve recruitment, such as competitive starting salaries and vehicle programs.
In closing, Chief Lowrey praised the supportive Easton community and expressed gratitude for its cooperation with the police.
This video is approximately 14 minutes in length.
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