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Crime is up in many areas of the state and nation, but not in Altoona, according to Police Chief Joe Merrill, who Monday presented his annual report to City Council, based on statistics from last year.
Compared with those from 2020, the number of serious crimes fell 12 percent, while the number of less serious crimes rose 3 percent -- with overall crime down less than 1 percent.
"Steady," Merrill said. "It should be looked at in a positive light, (considering) what is occurring (elsewhere)."
While "skyrocketing" in some of other places, crime numbers are level here due to the good relations between city officers and the community, according to Merrill.
"Typically, we have not seen the disdain" here for police, Merrill said. "Other areas see more conflict."
It's not just lack of conflict, but active support, according to Merrill.
Almost daily residents drop off food or a thank you card or bring their children to the station to visit, he said.
These are "tiny demonstrations," he said. They're important, and the department doesn't take them for granted.
"We need to continually earn that support," Merrill said.
In addition to trying to earn it through day-to-day encounters, like "stopping by lemonade stands to talk with kids," there is a formal program -- the "community engagement detail" -- which involves officers attending block parties and visiting housing complexes, parks and pools, he said.
The program is overtime-based, so officers aren't interrupted by calls, which average 63 per day, he said.
It gives officers a "chance to talk to neighbors," he said.
"Humanizing the badge," he said, "Open(ing) up communication."
The program is not "enforcement oriented " -- although officers sometimes try to mediate neighborhood disputes, like cars parked long-term on the street, he said.
There are also community events like the Law Enforcement Torch Run; the "Polar Pop," "No Shave November," National Night Out Against Crime and a needy family Christmas collection, Merrill said.
The department has been able to maintain good community relations despite a staffing shortage.
The department hired nine officers in 2021 and nine more so far this year, but since the beginning of 2021, has lost eight to retirement and six more to other workplaces.
"We're still struggling," he said.
The department was budgeted for 62 officers at the end of last year, but due to vacancies, injuries and medical issues, its operational strength was only 51, he said.
It's 53 now, he said. "We're moving in the right direction."
But a quick fix isn't possible, because new hires require six months of off-site training, then 14 weeks of training on the job, he said.
A look at the numbers
Among serious, or Part 1, crimes: rapes were up a little, robberies, aggravated assaults, burglaries and larcenies were down a little, motor vehicle thefts were up a little and arsons were down significantly.
Assaults on officers were up significantly, from 116 to 197.
Among lesser, or Part 2, crimes, some are down mainly because of the manpower shortage, according to Merrill.
Those include driving under the influence and drug offenses, he said.
Unlike murders, assaults and other crimes that generally come to the attention of police through 911 calls, DUIs and drug crimes usually don't break through without "proactive" enforcement, Merrill said.
Thus, statistically fewer DUIs and fewer drug crimes don't mean that those offenses haven't occurred, he said.
There were 170 DUIs in 2016, but a fairly steady decline put that number at 77 for last year.
Similarly, there were 431 drug offenses in 2016, but a fairly steady decline put that number at 224 last year.
Among problematic categories:
There was a "drastic increase" in scams, especially related to COVID-19, many targeting unemployment compensation, Merrill said.
Overdoses were up, from 198 to 253, although fatal overdoses were down — from 35 to 27.
Naloxone usage was down, to 17 from 30.
Juvenile crime continues, with certain individuals getting arrested time and again, and repeatedly released, Merrill said.
It's a problem "we all need to work on," he said.
Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.