Police: Crime declines for fourth straight year

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Updated: March 3, 2012 8:09AM

Overall crime in Skokie in 2011 declined for a fourth consecutive year, according to preliminary information released this week by the Skokie Police Department.

Although more detailed crime figures are released annually around March, police officials indicated the preliminary numbers show some serious drops in crime from 2010.

Overall reported crimes in Skokie in 2011 were listed at 4,866, a drop of more than 4 percent from 5,078 crimes reported in 2010.

Police Chief Tony Scarpelli said the reduction in reported crimes in Skokie could be attributable to a slight improvement in the economy and some changes in law enforcement investigation and response tactics.

“Of continued importance though is the public’s contribution by calling the police when they observe any unusual activity,” he said. “The Skokie Police Department has stressed this for many years.”

Scarpelli said a more involved citizenry is always a help in addressing community crime. The village’s Neighborhood Watch program, which has spiked in recent years, now has 200 blocks actively participating.

“That puts the entire neighborhood on the lookout for suspicious activity,” he said.

Police officials have always warned that making year-by-year comparisons and drawing major conclusions from crime statistics can be misleading. Instead, they stress looking at patterns over longer range periods.

But the preliminary numbers for 2011 indicate that overall crime has declined over longer period ranges as well.

The five-year average for Skokie crime is 5,072 total offenses per year and the 20-year average 5,195 total offenses per year. The last time overall crime declined in the village for four straight years was 2002 - 2005 when total offenses began at 5,257 and four years later were reduced to a 10-year low of 4,409.

One of the steepest percentage declines in serious crime for 2011 was robberies, which had 34 percent fewer offenses after a slight uptick in 2010. Last year’s 64 robberies were cut by more than a third in 2011.

Burglaries were down by 10 percent from last year’s total of 366, theft by 9 percent from last year’s total of 977 and motor vehicle theft by 3 percent from last year’s total of 78.

The largest spike in any crime category in 2011 came from burglary/theft from a motor vehicle, which had 384 offenses last year, well below the five-year average of 493 and 10-year average of 475.

Police attribute 2011’s increase to a rash of incidents that occurred during the late summer months of 2011. Investigators found that the vast majority of the targeted vehicles were left unlocked, making the crimes easier to pull off, Scarpelli noted.

The other significant increase in crime statistics for 2011 came from narcotics offenses in which there were 295 last year, an increase from the year before.

But Scarpelli believes this is not necessarily bad news.

The recent spike in these offenses coincides directly with the coordinated efforts of the Department’s Tactical Mission Team and other Police Department units to focus on crime trends, gang activity and narcotics and drug- related offenses, he said..

Police believe the trend also reflects the department’s continued emphasis on youth activities in and around parks and an increasing community awareness of the dangers of drugs and drug-related activities.

Excluding domestic offenses, crimes against persons dropped by 10 percent in 2011 and remain consistent with the five-year average.

Scarpelli said such crimes always gain the most publicity and are viewed as being more “newsworthy.” They can lead to a misconception about crime in the village because of the attention they receive, he said.

Most crimes in the village — more than 91 percent — are against property and not people, Scarpelli noted.

Domestic crimes — the result of pre-existing relationships as are some other batteries — continued to spike.

“This unwelcome trend is, unfortunately, largely unpreventable through law enforcement measures,” Scarpelli said.

The recent increase could be partly attributable to difficult economic conditions throughout the community and the area. Domestic offenses can rise during more difficult times, statistics have shown.

The Police Department works closely with the village’s Human Services Division, schools in the community and other social service agencies for a coordinated approach to issues contributing to domestic disturbances, the chief said.

A group of Skokie residents in 2010 pushed for a town hall meeting — in large part because of concerns about safety and crime activity in Skokie.

From the meeting came a new residents’ association, Skokie Voice, which has pursued better communication between neighbors and the village on various aspects of village life including crime.

At the time of the town hall meeting and after, Skokie Voice asked that police increase patrols and monitor the parks more closely. It established Community Safety and Housing committees and met with police throughout 2011 to try to make the village safer, Skokie Voice Chairwoman Lisa Lipin said.

“Skokie Voice appreciates the dedication of the Skokie Police Department to keep our community safe, including the Skokie Police Department’s recognition that resident engagement is vital to this process,” she said about the 4 percent dip in crime.

Skokie Voice this year will hold another community forum on public safety in which village officials will be invited, she said.