Crime rates defy economy

A continuing economic decline with a sharp increase in reported violent and property crimes in 2008 led Anderson Police Chief Dale Webb to expect more of the same in 2009.

That didn’t happen.

“I was pleasantly surprised to see it drop,” he said of major crime last week, after completing the department’s 2009 annual report.

Webb was to introduce his report to the city council at their regular meeting on Tuesday, May 18.

The annual report includes a compilation of reported crime statistics for the department.

Compared to 2008, violent crime fell by 9.8 percent, property crime fell by 11.7 percent and total arrests for driving under the influence fell by 5.15 percent.

Total calls for service and total incidents handled both increased by roughly four percent. The extra calls for service have not burdened officers, Webb said.

Handling a single major crime requires a great deal more time than most calls for service, which can include handling a neighborly dispute or writing a traffic ticket, he said.

The reported violent crimes and property crimes fall under what the report calls Part I Crimes.

In 2009, reported Part I crimes in Anderson included 11 rapes, 12 robberies, 311 assaults, no homicides, 138 burglaries, 339 larcenies and 29 stolen vehicles.

The department also fielded 280 calls of domestic violence and made 233 arrests of motories driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Gang activity remains at a low level, Webb said, with graffitti being one of the worst offenses with which the department has had to deal. The skate park on Emily Drive has been subject to increased graffitti during the past year, he said.

The department operates with 18 sworn officers and 11 non-sworn officers who constitute clerks, dispatchers and community service officers.

The complete annual report is available online at www.andersonvalleypost.com.