RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) – Rapid City’s police chief says arrests for drugs, aggravated assaults, and vehicle thefts are the highest they’ve been since 2012. Chief Karl Jegeris noted that said drug arrests have more than doubled since 2012. The Rapid City Journal reported Sunday that police officers made 1,567 drug arrests in 2019, compared with 734 in 2012. Jegeris said the increase is due to the state’s meth crisis and repeat offenders.

Data also shows officers handled 389 aggravated assault cases last year, the highest since 2012. There were 344 vehicle theft cases in 2019, compared with 289 the year before and the most since 2012.