The number of incidents handled by Sheriff's deputies during the first quarter of 2015 reflect a 19-percent increase over the same time period of 2014, according to a department review delivered by Sheriff Gary Maha to county legislators.
There were more felony investigations; the jail population was down during the first quarter of 2015, according to Maha.
There were complicating factors during the first three months of the year.
Dispatchers handled more calls, medical expenses rose for the jail, and the department has operated with fewer deputies following some key departures.
Jail Superintendent William Zipfel said the jail population is older and substance abuse problems are more complicated, leading to increased medical expenses.
While there were only 11 female inmates during the first quarter, some of them were harder to place in area facilities that can handle female prisoners. Some jails don't want to take on some of the kind of substance abuse issues some inmates have, and while the local jail is careful to keep pharmacy expenses down, other jails don't necessarily seek out generic prescriptions for inmates with health problems.
Some female inmates have monthly pharmacy bills of $3,000 to $5,000 per month.
Deputies made 470 prisoner transports compared to 465 a year ago.
The department currently has six fewer deputies following retirements, a medical injury to one deputy and the death of Frank Bordonaro. The Crash Management Team is down an investigator.
Two more deputies may retire this year.
Three new deputies are in training and there are two background investigations under way for potential candidates.
As the number of calls for service keeps increasing in the county, Maha is considering a request for more personnel in the 2016 budget.
Since 2009, the number of calls in to the dispatch center has increased 38.8 percent. There were more than 75,000 calls in 2014.
The calls are increasingly complex and require more staff time to handle.
The department will likely need to add a senior dispatch position in 2016.
Deputies responded to 7,197 incidents during the first quarter, a 19-percent increase from a year ago.
There were 58 felony cases handled by investigators during the quarter, compared to 70 a year ago.
Investigations have grown more complicated with the rise of identity theft and computer fraud.
There is an increase in felonies committed by people outside of Genesee County.
Genesee Justice handled 145 release under supervision cases in the first quarter, significantly more than the typical 100 per quarter in previous years.
The department is dealing with more opiate addictions, which complicates supervision.
The DWI caseload has remained steady, the reports says.
