Stats show crime in Redmond was down for 2011

Published 9:58 am Monday, June 11, 2012

The Redmond Police Department’s (RPD) 2011 statistics show that crime is down in the City of Redmond.

Property crimes such as vehicle prowls and residential burglaries, which RPD community outreach facilitator Jim Bove said are Redmond’s top crimes, have decreased 13 percent.

“We’ve been on the decline for a while,” he said.

Redmond Police Chief Ron Gibson said this decline, which is in line with the nationwide drop in crime, reflects the city’s citizen satisfaction survey for 2011. The survey showed that 81 percent of citizens are satisfied or very satisfied with police services and 89 percent feel safe or very safe walking alone in their neighborhood at night.

The first thing Gibson attributed to the decline in crime was the people working in the RPD.”I can’t discount the hard work of the men and women in the department,” he said.

PREVENTABLE CRIMES

The most frequent property crime was once again vehicle prowls, but those showed a marked decrease from 684 in 2010 to 554 in 2011.

“A lot of those can be prevented by removing everything from your vehicle, especially valuables,” Bove said. “We live in a very safe community and people take it for granted.”

He said people generally feel safe in Redmond and are comfortable leaving their things in the car. People need to think like a criminal and hide anything that is valuable or may seem valuable, Bove said.

For example, he said he has spoken with vehicle prowl victims who have had their gym bags stolen and many would ask why anyone would want their sweaty workout clothes. He explained that a criminal could see the bag, not knowing what’s inside, and think it could contain a wallet, computer, jewelry or other valuable items.

“It’s a grab bag,” Bove said.

In addition, he said people should make sure their windows are closed and doors are locked when they leave and keep a list of their valuables and record serial numbers when possible, such as with electronics. Bove said the latter helps police track down items — and the suspect — if they are stolen.

Burglaries — most of which were residential — have also declined, going from 198 in 2010 to 157 last year.

While these are not as frequent as vehicle prowls, Bove said burglaries put people on “pins and needles” because someone has broken into their homes.

He said it is important to have good locks on doors and windows and use them. Residents should also consider the landscaping on their property as a burglar could hide behind any large trees, bushes or shrubs. Bove said good lighting, alarm systems and loud dogs can also help deter criminal activity.

“You want to make it as difficult as possible (for someone to break into your home),” he said.

Gibson added that criminals will go for the easy targets such as open and unlocked garage doors, which can be easily remedied.

“Don’t make yourself an easy victim to a crime,” Gibson said.

COMMUNICATION IS KEY

Bove also encouraged residents to get to know their neighbors so they know who belongs in the neighborhood. He said communicating with neighbors and letting them know if no one will be home for an extended period of time also puts multiple sets of eyes on your home while you are gone.

Gibson said the number of active Neighborhood Watch groups and their involvement in reporting suspicious activity have been a factor in the decline in crime. He added that the level of participation in last year’s National Night Out — which saw a record 46 block parties in Redmond — also speaks well about citizen’s involvement in crime prevention.

Bove said reporting suspicious behavior and crimes — even if nothing valuable is taken — is important so police officials know where crimes are occurring.

He said there are no real “bad areas” of town, so it is difficult to pinpoint where crimes will happen.

“It kind of hops around,” he said.

Redmond Mayor John Marchione said sharing information is “one of the keys for a low crime rate.”

“The improved crime statistics reflect the collaboration between residents, business employees and Redmond police officers,” he said. “Jim Bove meets with crime watch captains and apartment managers on a regular basis to share information. Our crime analysis unit’s ability to detect patterns quickly also helps Redmond keep a low crime rate.”

Marchione added that the RPD’s Neighborhood Resource Officers have also contributed to the decline as they have opened up additional channels of communication and have the time to follow up on cases after the initial report.

STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY

Gibson said a number of other factors have contributed to the decline in crime, including the youth programming through the city’s Parks and Recreation Department.

He applauded the city’s investment in young people, citing the Old Fire House Teen Center (OFH) and its many activities and events. Gibson said while not all crimes are committed by youth, the OFH has done its part in helping keep the community safe.

The police chief also said the quality of city infrastructure has added to the sense of pride in the community, which helps deter crime.

Gibson said if a building, car or area is boarded up or deserted, people will start to do whatever they want with it because no one else is taking responsibility for it. This is called “broken windows” theory.

But because the city works to maintain its roads, buildings and parks, people are less likely to do anything, Gibson said.

“You want to keep it nice,” he said.

Although numbers have been on a steady decline, Gibson said he aims to continue that momentum.

“I am proud of the professional and dedicated work by all Redmond Police Department personnel this past year,” he said. “If we are to maintain our quality of life in Redmond, we need to continue to work in partnership with our community and other law enforcement agencies.”

For additional crime statistics, visit www.redmond.gov/PublicSafety/Police/CrimeStats.