Irene Caused Big Increase in Lower Merion Police Calls

Thanks in part to Hurricane Irene, Lower Merion police were statistically 25 percent busier in the week ending Sunday.

Lower Merion Police Department responded to 975 calls for service last week, up from 772  and 715 , according to a report posted on the township's website.

The calls included 152 instances of road/sidewalk obstructions, all but four of which came Saturday night or Sunday as the hurricane felled trees and branches.

There were also 54 911-hangup calls that required responses, according to the report.

A version of the spreadsheet sorted by type of incident is attached to this article. The police calls (which do not necessarily indicate arrests were made or charges filed) include:

• 1 body discovered
• 2 robberies
• 1 DUI incident
• 11 fires
• 4 frauds
• 5 car accidents with injuries
• 32 car accidents with property damage
• 3 simple assaults
• 11 thefts

The department briefs news media about some incidents each Monday afternoon. See the following reports from this Monday's briefing: