DCSO: Sharp increase in 911 calls in 2023

ARCADIA — The DeSoto County Sheriff's Office saw a 43% increase in 911 calls in 2023 from the previous year, according to the agency's annual report.

The same report showed that DCSO's investigation unit saw a slight decrease in cases in the same timeframe, along with a slight decrease in total arrests.

The 2023 Annual Report for DCSO was released Friday, with DeSoto County Sheriff James Potter emphasizing transparency in the agency's operations.

"Your continued support and trust serve as the foundation of our efforts, and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve you," he wrote in remarks accompanying the report.

The agency remains steady with 64 sworn law enforcement deputies, 33 detention deputies, and 37 civilian staff. There were 23 new hires reported, along with 20 internal promotions.

The budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year slightly rose to $16.41 million, up about $1.6 million from the previous year.

DCSO logged roughly 309 cases out of their investigation unit in 2023, down from 384 in 2022.

However, total 911 calls were logged at 23,191 — up drastically from 13,422 the previous year.

The number of non-emergency calls was calculated at 53,743, representing a modest increase from 2022.

DCSO also saw a major leap in the monetary value of property recovered in criminal investigations.

In 2022, investigators recovered roughly $89,000; by 2023, that number had more than tripled, with an estimated $305,000 recovered.

The agency also recorded more than $151,000 in illegal narcotics seized in investigations, up from around $131,000.

The DeSoto County Jail accounted for 1,326 arrests in 2023, down noticeably from 1,478 in 2022. The daily population of the county jail in 2023 was approximately 182 inmates.

The report also reported an average response time of 8 minutes, 3 seconds for DCSO Road Patrol, along with an estimated 626 calls for livestock recovery.

The numbers of calls for both 911 and non-emergency situations are in keeping with a broader regional trend as population numbers continue to rise across Southwest Florida.

The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office put out its own annual report in April, showing an increase in both calls and total arrests.