Jim Thorpe Mayor Michael Sofranko recently released the police department’s end of the year statistics.

Officers issued 604 traffic citations in 2020, down from 656 the year before.

“During the months of March-June when that initial shutdown happened with COVID-19, we were really focusing on the stops that were absolutely necessary,” Sofranko said.

The department also logged 64 drug arrests, an area that Sofranko and officers said have been a focus in recent years.

“I think we’re really starting to get a handle on that,” Sofranko said. “No doubt there is a lot of drug use still happening, but we’ve really been trying to curb that activity, especially when it comes to dealing drugs.”

Other 2020 numbers for the department included 88 non-traffic citations, 102 criminal charges, 2,359 incidents logged into its management system, and 54,136 miles patrolled.

One area Sofranko was concerned about when COVID-19 shut down many workplaces was domestic violence.

“People were going to be spending a lot of time with those in their own household and that always becomes a concern when there is no outlet,” Sofranko said. “I’m very happy to say Jim Thorpe was really well behaved. Neighbors watched out for neighbors and everyone really seemed to get along.”

As 2021 kicks off, officers are preparing to receive their COVID-19 vaccine through the Mauch Chunk Pharmacy. The pharmacy will be using Jim Thorpe Memorial Hall to distribute that vaccine, borough officials said on Thursday.

“The majority of our officers are choosing to get the vaccine,” Police Chief Joe Schatz said. “The way times are now, our guys really want to make sure they are protected and vaccinated and I think it’s a great step forward.”