SHORELINE — Council members’ personal alarms are ringing after an increase in auto thefts and burglaries throughout the city in the past year.
“We are the ones being targeted,” said Council member Bob Ransom. “I am just very concerned that we need to take a more effective stand.”
Police chief Tony Burtt addressed the Council at Monday’s Council meeting, saying that in the first seven months of 2005, arson, robbery and rape have declined, while auto theft and burglary increased.
The report comes after the Council requested a comparison in crime statistics for the year to date 2005 in comparison to the same period in 2004. This was solicited after past Council concern regarding the 2004 Service Efforts and Accomplishments Report, which included several crime categories that had significant increases since 2003.
Burtt assured the Council that in comparison to other local jurisdictions in north King County and south Snohomish County, Shoreline’s crime rate is not unusual.
“Overall what we saw was what I expected,” Burtt said. “A number of crimes are more regional in scope, rather than more specific to Shoreline.”
Burtt said he is still cautious about the crime statistics, however, as the report reflects only the first seven months of the year.
Burtt said arson has decreased 63 percent, robberies are down 53 percent, and rapes decreased 42 percent. Two crime categories saw increases, however, with burglaries increasing 21 percent and auto theft increasing 31 percent.
Several strategies are being used to remedy the increases in burglaries and auto theft, Burtt said, most of which are ongoing efforts.
To address auto theft, Burt said one of the greatest prevention measures is to educate the public, and warn residents to not leave cars running unattended. Another strategy is to chart where the cars are stolen, to find clusters and patterns.
A third strategy, Burtt said, is participation with the King County Prosecutor’s office and a new car theft initiative program, which allows three deputies to be devoted to processing auto theft cases. He also said Shoreline police officers are striving to improve their ability to process stolen cars, including obtaining finger prints in vehicles.
Burtt also addressed both residential and commercial burglaries and said public education is important. He said many residential burglaries occur during the summer when people tend to leave doors and windows open. Often times, burglars are teens who live in neighborhoods, Burtt said, who take advantage of easy access to homes.
“It is frustrating. It is a crime that has a huge impact on people who are victims,” Burtt said. “We are trying to get word out to educate people.”
Regarding commercial burglary, Burtt said that police are collaborating with the Shoreline Chamber of Commerce and officers are attending meetings to discuss ways to prevent burglaries.
Ransom is concerned about auto theft and said more than public education needs to be done to address the problem. Ransom also is worried that since the street crimes unit has been scaled back, fewer drug houses are being closed and offenders are not being persecuted. More officers need to be on the street, he said.
Ransom also is concerned that officers are not as accessible to residents, and people may not feel comfortable informing officers about crime. He said there is now more apprehension in talking with officers, as they tend to be more indifferent and not as approachable.
“Many people feel that officers are not that accessible,” Ransom said. “Or at least I am getting more reports again.”
Council member John Chang said officers need to reach juvenile offenders and their parents with outreach to schools.
“We need to teach the value of respecting other peoples’ property,” Chang said. “That is where we need to start to address the issue.”
Council member Maggie Fimia said the crime analysis was incomplete, and was alarmed by an increase in crime in Shoreline. She suggested having a summit with the schools.
“I am hearing from parents who are very concerned in the increase in drugs in schools,’ Fimia said. “I would like to know what is going on in schools and what can be done.”
Deputy mayor Scott Jepsen was curious about the supply and demand of stolen cars and property, saying if nobody purchases what is stolen, there will be less stealing.
“We need to deal with all ends of the spectrum,” Jepsen said. “And not only pursue the thieves, but people buying items.”
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