By By GREG KATSKI
Community Editor
Uniform crime is on the decline in Belhaven thanks to a full police force dedicated to community policing, Police Chief Frederick Clingenpeel said.
A comparison of uniform crime statistics for 2008 and the first nine months of 2009 show that the Belhaven Police Department has reported less serious crimes committed per month this year than last year.
In 2008, 83 uniform crimes were reported, or 6.9 a month, as compared to 49 crimes reported so far this year for an average of 5.7 a month.
The statistics used for the comparison were compiled by the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program, which is part of a nationwide, cooperative statistical effort administered by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The statistics can be obtained at the FBI’s Web site.
The Belhaven PD, as well as law enforcement agencies throughout the state, voluntarily submits uniform crime reports on a daily basis to the SBI to be compiled by the statewide reporting program. Uniform crimes include murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft.
According to statistics, no murders were reported in Belhaven in the past two years, but one rape was reported in 2008.
The number of aggravated assaults in Belhaven has decreased from 35 in 2008 to six so far in 2009.
“That is one crime that will not be tolerated,” Clingenpeel said. “If you assault someone, you’re going to jail. If you commit assault on a female, you’re going to jail.”
He attributes the decrease in assaults to the heightened visibility of police officers on the streets.
“People see that and are not committing crimes,” Clingenpeel said.
The only hike from 2008 to 2009 among uniform crimes in Belhaven was larceny. The town reported four larcenies in 2008, and has already reported 29 this year.
“I’m not sure what that is attributed to. I haven’t reviewed individual reports,” Clingenpeel said.
He did note a discrepancy in the crime comparison statistics. From mid-March through September 2008, the Belhaven PD was understaffed. During that time, the town contracted deputies with the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office to patrol within the department’s jurisdiction.
The deputies contracted out to the town filed their reports with the Sheriff’s Office, which has a separate originating route ID used by the state’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program to compile crime statistics.
Regardless, Belhaven Mayor Adam O’Neal said the overall decrease in uniform crimes from last year to this year was the most important statistic.
“It shows an overall trend in town as far as crime goes,” he said.
As far as the increase in larcenies from 2008 to this year, O’Neal said, “I expect to see that number go down.”
And with a full force of eight officers and one reserve officer, Clingenpeel said he is inclined to agree.
“This is a full department. That has to have an impact on enforcing crime,” he said.
“We’re trying to make Belhaven the safest place in Beaufort County,” Clingenpeel added.