Des Moines Police Department Releases 2023 Report on Service Calls and Crime Data 2024-11-05

The Des Moines Police Department released a 2023 report that shows service calls have increased, with nearly 500,000 calls in total. The report also breaks down the calls by priority level, with 72.8% considered high priority. The data reveals that the highest call volume is during the 4-5 pm period on weekdays, when citizens may be reporting incidents on their way home from work. The report also provides demographics on arrests, showing that 62% of those arrested identified as white, 34.2% as Black, and the rest as Asian, Pacific Islander, or American Indian. Some city council members questioned the method used to collect this data, as race and ethnicity are not required on Iowa driver's licenses. The report also shows the DMPD's crime clearance rate is higher than the national average, with aggravated assault having an 80.9% clearance rate.

crime

DMPD Releases Names of Officers Involved in Shooting that Left Suspect Dead, Two Officers Injured 2024-11-05

The Des Moines Police Department has released the names of the officers involved in a shooting early Monday morning that left a suspect dead and two officers injured. Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the driver, identified as 37-year-old Joshua Dean Green from Carlisle, fled and led police on a chase that ended in a crash. During the struggle, Green pulled out a gun and began shooting at the officers, prompting them to return fire. Green was shot and killed at the scene, while his passenger, a 47-year-old woman, was uninjured and not charged. Two DMPD officers, Senior Police Officer Jacob Boekhoff and Senior Police Officer Cade Moritz, were also shot and hospitalized. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and DMPD are continuing to investigate the officer-involved shooting.

crime

Teen Sentenced to Life in Prison for Fatal Drive-by Shooting 2024-11-04

A 17-year-old, Alex Santiago Perdomo, was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole for his role in a fatal drive-by shooting outside East High School in Des Moines, Iowa more than two years ago. Perdomo, who was 15 at the time of the shooting, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder last year. The shooting resulted in the death of 15-year-old Jose Lopez-Perez and critically wounded two girls. Perdomo's brother, Romero Perdomo, was also sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole for the shooting. The judge noted that while Perdomo was not the leader of the group and has succeeded in custody, he still should serve prison time due to the serious consequences of his actions.