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City Council Regular Meeting Minutes April 27, 2004 Page 5 1 2 V. REPORTS. 3 A. Presentation of Police Department 2003 Annual Report by Captain Ohl. 4 Captain Ohl reviewed the Part I and II crime statistics as they had occurred in Saint Anthony 5 Village over the past five years. He noted the overall clearance rate in 2003 was 55% and 6 indicated there was a slight increase in Part II criminal offenses of approximately 1% and an 8% 7 increase in Part I offenses. 8 9 Captain Ohl noted the Department had a consistently high crime clearance rate, adding it was 10 higher than the overall rate in Hennepin and Ramsey Counties. He cited a proactive patrol force 11 as one of the reasons for the high clearance rate, noting the patrol force did pursue many of the 12 offense reports and actually cleared them. 13 14 Captain Ohl indicated Part I crimes such as burglary and larceny had increased, which was 15 typical for a first-ring suburb. He noted it was one of the prevalent problems in the City. 16 17 Councilmember Horst asked if shoplifting was considered larceny. Captain Ohl responded 18 shoplifting was essentially a theft and larceny was a type of theft. 19 20 Discussion followed regarding the definitions of larceny, theft and burglary. Captain Ohl 21 indicated most of the incidents were thefts from automobiles, shoplifting, etc. 22 23 Captain Ohl displayed a chart that listed Part I crimes per month. He noted there appeared to be 24 a higher rate of motor vehicle thefts, especially in January, and speculated that could be caused 25 by more people leaving their cars running. 26 27 Captain Ohl indicated the Department was cognizant of and working towards diminishing the 28 number of property crimes. He added crimes against persons, as they related to Part II offenses, 29 were substantially less. 30 31 Captain Ohl displayed a chart that listed Part II crimes per month. He asked Council to note the 32 wide gamut covered by Part II crimes, indicating they ranged from DWI arrests to domestic 33 assault to certain types of fraud and forgery. 34 35 Captain Ohl discussed the call load of the Police Department and gave statistics regarding the 36 calls to which the Department responded. He stated the Department appreciated calls from 37 residents regarding suspicious persons and vehicles, adding those types of calls were increasing. 38 He noted residents knew what was suspicious within their neighborhoods and stated the 39 Department needed the public's help and direction regarding its responses within specific areas. 40 41 Mayor Pro Tem.Thuesen asked if Captain Ohl had a rough estimate regarding the percentage of 42 calls from residents that prevented a crime in progress. Captain Ohl responded the vast majority 43 of the calls represented a "cousin coming into town late at night" or a neighbor who locked 44 himself out of his house and was crawling into his window. He noted he did not have a statistic 45 to give; however, he added, when a burglar was caught, it was because a neighbor knew 46 something was amiss.