Middle Twp. Police Release Annual Report

COURT HOUSE – This year’s annual report from the Middle Township Police Department achieved a milestone success: the township’s Uniform Crime Rating (UCR) was driven below 500. This number represents a steady improvement that has resulted in a 48 percent drop in UCR numbers since a peak of 947 in 2012. 
The UCR system represents a nationwide effort to report statistics on crimes brought to the attention of police. These numbers represent a starting point for measuring crime rates and trends. The system has been in use since 1930.
Police Chief Christopher Leusner presented highlights of the 2017 annual report to Middle Township Committee March 5. He noted that a UCR number below 500 was a first for Middle Township.
Leusner credited the investment the township has made in bringing the level of officers back to its peak of 53. He also spoke of the department’s use of technology, including the Data Driven Approaches to Crime and Traffic Safety (DDACTS) program which allows the department to utilize its resources in areas where the data shows they are needed most.
Concentrated efforts during the last several years have focused on areas of concern in the township, including the opening of the substation in Rio Grande, increased police presence in areas of higher need, the deployment of the street crimes unit, and an intense emphasis on community policing – an effort to utilize resources for crime prevention rather than just for enforcement.
The annual report showed that the offenses reported in Rio Grande went down from 200 in 2016 to 151 in 2017, a drop of 25 percent. In 2012, the year with the peak in the UCR numbers, that section of the township saw 307 offenses, meaning 2017’s numbers represent a decrease of more than 50 percent.
Leusner emphasized the proactive policing strategies aimed at preventing crime. Major aspects of those efforts are programs aimed at combating the opioid crisis plaguing the county and the nation.
The Advocating for Substance Abuse program allows police to help those with addictions gain help through relationships with social services organizations.
Programs like Rachel’s Challenge are aimed at reducing the prevalence of bullying, discrimination, and violence in township schools.
The department’s Law Enforcement Against Drugs (LEAD) course, delivered to students in the middle school in 2017, is yet another awareness and prevention effort.
Leusner was particularly proud of the department’s Police Youth Camp which hosted 47 young people in a six-day camp experience in July. Partnered with Cape Assist, the camp provided a valuable curriculum aimed at helping young people make the right decisions. It also provided for these youth a positive interaction with police officers.
Leusner also noted that Project Medicine Drop, the drop-off point for unwanted prescription drugs in the police department lobby, provided for the safe disposal of 537 pounds of medications.
In the areas of traffic control and safety, 2017 saw a decrease in the number of crashes, down 8 percent. Added police on the roads also led to an increase in the number of individuals stopped and arrested for DWI offenses.
The report shows the interaction of community outreach and enforcement when it discusses local ordinance violations in 2017. The homeless population in Rio Grande represents a target of police efforts to link individuals with available social services, particularly through work with the Branches Outreach Center in Rio Grande. Yet the report also notes that the police take a firm approach to quality of life violations such as urinating in public and aggressive panhandling.
In terms of goals for 2018, Leusner spoke of continued outreach to youth in an effort to ameliorate the adverse childhood traumas that often lead to crime in older years.
The report’s goals section also places emphasis on department initiatives to improve the quality of life and safety for residents in Rio Grande and Whitesboro/Burleigh.
The department will seek to increase the awareness of the dangers of sexting and the need for cell phone safety among the township’s youth.
The report cites a goal of reducing the number of outstanding warrants for non-violent offenses. A recent move to implement a community safe surrender program is a step in that direction.
The street crimes unit will continue its efforts in narcotics enforcement as well as build a database of business owner contact information.
The report’s goals section provides the full list of police department priorities for 2018.
Citizens interested in reading the annual report can access it at https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/9b3f46_63860dcb48aa47de8b2155f1ae9869d3.pdf
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.