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SPD commander: East Precinct violent crime fell 12% in 2010

In a “Letter to the Community,” East Precinct commander Capt. James Dermody revealed a first look at annual crime statistics for the Capitol Hill area for 2010. According to the letter, overall crime in the East Precinct including property infractions like vandalism and theft fell 5% in 2010 vs. 2009.

Complete statistics for the precinct and the city as a whole are not yet available. However, through November 2010, Seattle total crime had also clocked in with a 5% year over year drop, according to SPD statistics.

Dermody’s reported violent crime drop of 12% — including homicides, rape, robbery and assault — would outpace the citywide total’s reduction should 2010’s trends have continued through its last month. Dermody says 2010 totals for East Precinct represented the second lowest crime rate for the area in 11 years.

We hope to have full 2010 statistics from SPD shortly. In our 2009 analysis, removing minor property crimes from the totals, we showed Capitol Hill’s crime was actually up 8.1% in the most significant categories.

At midyear, our analysis showed that 2010 was on pace to match 2009’s crime totals thanks — or no thanks — to jumps in robberies, burglaries and auto thefts offsetting reductions in assaults and lesser crimes.

The new numbers come as SPD continues to do battle on the goodwill front after the Ian Birk killing and the ongoing review of the department by the Justice Department. Meanwhile, in December, CHS readers voted 2010’s rise in street crime on Capitol Hill as the second most important story of the year.

The letter sent to local media and community groups promises a continued strategy of “hotspot” patrol and focusing on “prolific” offenders. The letter begins, “To the Residents, Business Owners, Employees, Schools, Students, Commercial Property Owners and those who travel within the eight square miles ofthe central part of our city,” the letter begins:

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A citizen
A citizen
13 years ago

Do those statistics include violent crime by officers where the officer gets off scott-free?

jseattle
jseattle
13 years ago

Yeah, they haven’t added that category yet. Though Birk did serve in West Precinct. But that’s not really your point, I know.

No
No
13 years ago

Does it include vandals pretending to be protesters?

OFD
OFD
13 years ago

Step 1: Discipline cops that shoot people on the street for no reason

Step 2: We might give a fuck about crime stats

Go to hell SPD.

What’s this I read about steroid use in the SPD? Watching the Ian Birk video in that light certainly makes more sense.

http://publicola.com/2011/02/23/want-police-reform-check-cop

jseattle
jseattle
13 years ago

I’m also interested in this issue — would it be better for more officers to live in the city they patrol?
http://seattlecrime.com/2011/02/22/where-do-seattle-cops-liv

Steve
Steve
13 years ago

I know it’s a minor issue, but “down -5%” actually means +5%. Just say down 5% or up 5%, don’t add the sign. We can figure it out.
Sorry, but he did that 3 times in the same paragraph and it drove me crazy so I had to say something.

A citizen
A citizen
13 years ago

Dear No,

I’m happy to fire both thugs being paid as cops, and vandals pretending to be protesters. But I do prefer to hold the former, as my employees, to a higher standard.