Crime Down in 2012

Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) offenses decreased by nearly 5% last year in Boca Raton.  Crime has decreased four times in the last five years, -18% in 2010, -4.6% in 2009 and -5.7% in 2008.  The numbers for the major categories are included below.

Since 1990, the crime rate in the City of Boca Raton has decreased by almost 40%.  In 2012, approximately 94% of our crime was property related. Violent crime made up the remaining 6% of the reported totals.  The clearance rate (percentage of cases solved) was 29.2%.

 

During the first half of 2012, the City of Boca Raton experienced a sharp increase in residential burglaries. We responded to this trend by developing “Operation Neighborhood Watch.”  Crime analysis briefings were increased (both in frequency and intensity), tactical teams in unmarked vehicles were deployed to hot spots and we made a concerted effort to raise public awareness.

Dozens of arrests were made for Burglary, Loitering & Prowling and other charges.  Of those arrested, almost all were from communities to the south of us.  Most of the suspects were driving rental cars with dark tint applied to the outside of the windows so they couldn’t be seen. Operation Neighborhood Watch efforts resulted in fewer burglaries for the latter part of 2012.

Thefts and fraud are the most significant areas of concern recently. Criminals are preying on victims who do not keep track of their personal items, to include cell phones, tablets, laptops, wallets and purses. Personal electronic devices are everywhere and valuable to thieves.

Tax fraud and identity theft have also become significant issues. It is important for you to take simple steps to protect your identity, such as removing personal information from your vehicle and shredding your documents. It is also helpful for you to file your tax return as soon as practical.

Crime remains low because our residents truly care about the quality of life in our city. As we carry out our mission “to protect and serve,” we will continue a strong community policing working philosophy. Thank you for your support. Please stay safe.

Officer Involved Shootings: What comes next?

Officer involved shootings are very traumatic and complex incidents.  From the outset, there are so many questions and seemingly very few answers.

The media will say that we are being “tight-lipped” or “mum.” They will report that we won’t give them the answers they desperately need.

There are very good reasons why we do not put out much information at the beginning of these cases. The seriousness of these incidents makes it critically important to have the right set of eyes on these cases, and to leave no stone unturned. Unlike a TV drama, this process takes a while.

To ensure objectivity, we ask the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office to investigate these cases. They always conduct thorough and professional inquiries of all the facts and circumstances surrounding these incidents. Additionally, the Office of State Attorney for the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit independently performs an assessment and produces findings.

After these outside agencies conclude their investigations, we collect all of the case material and start an administrative review. During this review, we determine whether the actions of our employees were consistent with policies, procedures, and training.

As I mentioned earlier, these multiple layers of intensive review take a long time, but they are very important. This painstaking work demonstrates our commitment to maintaining professional standards and public trust. In the interest of transparency, all of the findings are available to the public at the end of this process.

I cannot effectively explain the toll these incidents take on all of the people involved. The post-traumatic stress for the officers will remain with them for the rest of their lives.  

There is also a toll on family and friends in all situations. No investigation or condolences offered by police officials can alleviate the pain associated with the loss of a loved one.

As you can see, it's very complicated. I hope that I've shed some light on how we respond to these critical incidents. We appreciate your support and will continue to work hard to keep your trust.

Halftime 2012

Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) offenses increased by approximately 7% in the first half of 2012. Violent crime was down 5% and property crime rose by 8%. The following charts describe the six month statistics over the past several years. Overall, the numbers remain low and the trend has been downward.

Earlier this year, we saw an increase in residential burglaries and developed Operation Neighborhood Watch. As a result of our efforts, burglary arrests increased by 18.9% in the first half of this year. Some of the cases associated with this crime suppression program are featured on our Latest News page.

When you hear about UCR statistics in the news, remember this disclaimer from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, UCR is not reporting total crime but, rather a select list of crimes reported to the police. This makes the trend data possibly more useful than the actual numbers themselves. Although we evaluate data on a daily basis, a six month period (or one year for that matter) is not sufficient time to draw any meaningful conclusions about trends.

We plan to continue our aggressive crime suppression efforts. I appreciate that many of our residents have stepped up by contacting us when they see something suspicious. Vigilant neighbors are even calling us about our unmarked police vehicles.

Looking to the immediate future, we are making significant progress on our data mining and crime prediction programs. The citywide surveillance project is also moving along and you will see some updates in the near future. Our success hinges on citizen involvement, so please continue to stay alert and in touch. Thank you.

What's in a name?

A "Boca Raton" mailing address can be misleading.  At least once a day, we find ourselves sending customers to another service provider, primarily because a complainant's issue originated outside of our jurisdiction.  Many folks have assumed that they live in Boca Raton, until we inform them that they actually live in unincorporated Palm Beach County, just beyond our city limits.

Oftentimes, local media stories help perpetuate the confusion.  Recently, an article about a suspect arrested for a robbery included the terms "Boca Raton," "police," and "cops."  The national media outlets picked up the story and started citing the "Boca Raton police."  We had nothing to do with the case.

From a practical standpoint, it's a good idea to know which law enforcement agency provides service to you. You should have the non-emergency number handy if you need help, or you may want to know who to contact if you have a question.  If you're not sure, give us a call and we'll try to point you in the right direction.  Wherever you are, stay safe.

Colorado and Covey

Mass casualty incidents, such as the Aurora tragedy, logically cause us to wonder what could have been done, and then what should we do. I guess Steven Covey's recent passing got me thinking of this event within the context of two of his key principles, the Circle of Concern and the Circle of Influence.

The Circle of Concern encompasses a wide range of issues we may fret over, such as our money, our children, our work, or threats of violence similar to the Aurora incident. The Circle of Influence includes the concerns that we can actually do something about, or issues we have some control over.

Covey argued that we increase our Circle of Influence to cover our Circle of Concern by focusing on issues we can control (see image below). We have to actively work on what we can do, instead of sitting around and worrying. The key is to be proactive.

A trip I took to Israel drove this point home for me. From airport security to civilian volunteer patrols, Israelis were serious about their personal security. While safety was a prevalent concern, they were not paralyzed by fear because they were constantly working on the things they could control. They were proactive.

As we consider the Aurora tragedy, let's remember the victims, the families, the first responders, and everyone else touched by this incident. Let's also recognize that there are things we all can do to address our fears and concerns.

As law enforcement professionals, we will continue to work with businesses to improve public safety. We will gather intelligence on potential threats and train to respond effectively to all incidents.

You can help us expand our influence by raising your level of awareness. I promote the "see something, say something" philosophy. Simply call us if you see something that just doesn't seem right.

A word to my colleagues in law enforcement. Consider your off-duty carry habits. Think about how you would respond to active shooter scenarios, in all circumstances.

I see no value in the debates over missed warning signs, violent cultures or inadequate laws. The threats are real, but we can manage our concerns by being aware and involved. Let's be proactive. Stay safe.

Let's go to the tape

A local news station called us yesterday to report on the red light camera issue and ran a piece on a specific violation.  I've included the segment below.

For the moment, let's set aside our biases for or against red light cameras and simply look at the facts of this case.  Better yet, let's go to the tape of the violation.  As you watch it, note that the vehicle in question is the second car on the tape, not the first.

The person interviewed said he came to a stop.  The reporter used the term, "complete stop."  When asked, the reporter said he had not viewed the video.  You make the call.

When I hear concerns about unjust enforcement, I always encourage people to prepare a defense and take advantage of our system of due process in this great country.  The beauty of the red light camera technology is that there is plenty of information available, if one simply takes the time to be informed.

Florida law requires a driver to come to a complete stop (the wheels must stop turning) before making a right turn on red.  Let's be careful out there.

Number Crunching

While the exact source may be in dispute, Mark Twain popularized the phrase, “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” It’s an effective way to communicate the reality that people love to play with numbers.

We look at numbers a lot here. We evaluate stats on a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly basis. In the past, we have been rightfully criticized for manipulating the numbers, so we have safeguards in place to maintain the integrity of the gathering and reporting processes.

Recently, our Crime Watch partners published a newsletter, which highlighted a short-term spike in residential burglaries. Some published comments made it appear that we took issue with the numbers from the Crime Watch folks.

I support the message Crime Watch is delivering to our residents. It’s working (see http://www.bocachiefblog.com/2012/06/residents-connected-stepping-up.html). They were simply using raw numbers to create immediate awareness. We do need to be thoughtful about the conclusions we draw from data of this nature. Consider the following when you hear about Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) stats:

• UCR stats have limited value relative to determining the quality of life and law enforcement services in a particular jurisdiction.

• When evaluating UCR stats, think long-term trends.

In the latter part of 2010, I wrote a blog (http://www.bocachiefblog.com/2010/09/crime-barometer.html) about the risks associated with using UCR numbers as an effective measure of crime and community concerns. “Snapshot” numbers are not necessarily accurate and are not useful for meaningful analysis.

Everyone has a spin, including the BRPD. While we keep crunching the numbers, you keep a critical mindset. Stay Safe.