Document text
Local crime rate follows state�s decline By Joanna Collins Crime in Medford and Jackson County was down in 1999, a state crime survey shows. Overall, crime decreased 7.6 percent in Jackson County and 4.6 percent in Medford from 1998 to 1999, according to local statistics and a report released by Oregon�s Law Enforcement Data System. CRIME STATISTICS Jackson County 2,143 crimes against persons, a decrease of 7.2 percent. 12,554 crimes against property, down 9.3 percent. 10,652 behavioral crimes, a decrease of 7.6 percent. Arrests for all crimes totaled 11,008, down 17 percent. Statewide Crimes against persons decreased 5.7 percent. Crimes against property dropped 8.2 percent. Behavioral crimes decreased 1.7 percent. Arrests overall decreased by 13.1 percent. Source: Oregon�s Law Enforcement Data System "I would like to see law enforcement get credit because I think we are doing a relatively good job," said Capt. Ed Mayer of the sheriff�s department. Crime in rural areas also decreased, he said. According to Jackson County statistics, burglaries were down 12.8 percent and residential burglaries dropped almost 30 percent. Shoplifting decreased 16.8 percent while aggravated assault dropped 3.6 percent and rape decreased 21 percent. Mayer said he credits the decreases to many economic and social factors, including a better employment picture. In Medford, police Sgt. Bob Hansen said city statistics for overall crime from 1998 to 1999 decreased 4.6 percent. Crimes against persons were down 19.4 percent, while crimes such as theft and criminal mischief were down 8.8 percent in Medford. Hansen said he had no clear explanation for the Medford decrease, but said he hopes it�s due to aggressive law enforcement. In Oregon, the 1999 statistics for overall crime decreased 5.6 percent from 1998. Arrests in Oregon saw a 7.5 percent decrease. At the same time, however, local law agencies warn citizens to take the good news generated from statistics with a grain of salt. Jackson County Sheriff Bob Kennedy said he always sees decreases in crime in years when there aren�t as many deputies patrolling. "If people know that no one�s going to come, or it�s going to take them two or three hours or the next day or so," Kennedy said, "they�re not going to call." In years when more officers are able to respond to criminal reports, he said, crime statistics go up. "I�m really skeptical about the statistics because we know that citizens (only) report 50 percent of the crimes anyway," said Kennedy. Medford police, however, usually see the same amount of callers reporting crimes despite any increases or decreases in patrols, said Hansen. In addition, law agencies say citizens shouldn�t be slaves to statistics. "So many places just run on statistics only," said Medford Police Chief Eric Mellgren. "We try not to predicate only on statistics but community satisfaction." Mellgren said service and accessibility in a department is just as important as responding to statistics. A recent reassignment of beats for patrol officers is making a big difference in satisfaction, he said. Obituaries | Sports | Business | Classifieds | Tempo | Prime Times | So Oregon Sites | Outdoor Journal | Subscribe | Contact | Movies | Advertise | Real Estate Showcase | Archive | Editorials | Letters to the editor | Religion | Wake-up Call | NIE | Cyber Chef | Job Network | So Oregon Weather | WSJ Northwest | Forums | AP Wire | AP Money | F.A.Q. | Awards Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. The Community Newspaper Subsidiary of Dow Jones & Co, Inc Copyright �The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA