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Florida

Community policing leads to fewer crimes in Manatee

by ELIZABETH JOHNSON

MANATEE -- Reported crime in Manatee County from January through June is down more than 15 percent compared to that same time frame in 2011, according to statistics released Thursday by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

More than 7,500 crimes were reported in the first six months of last year, while only 6,406 were called in this year. The percent of solved crimes have increased 3.3 percent.

Local law enforcement agencies are attributing the decrease to a growing emphasis on community policing.

"A lot of it boils down to -- and I know this is a catch phrase used by the sheriff and other chiefs -- is community policing, old-fashioned police work," said Palmetto Police Deputy Chief Scott Tyler.

"We've partnered with people in the community and made officers more visible in the community so people feel comfortable talking to them. Reported crimes are down, and I like to believe that's because we're being proactive and the citizens are being proactive."

Incorporated Palmetto had the county's biggest decrease in crime, dropping 24.4 percent, according to the report.

The city also led the way in solvability, with 31.4 percent of 264 reported crimes cleared.

"We have to give props to our officers and detectives who work hard to solve each and every case," Tyler said.

The overall decreasewas fueled largely by drops in the numbers of property crimes -- burglaries, larcenies and motor vehicle thefts.

Also dropping were the number of robberies and aggravated assaults.

But there were increases in the number of homicides -- from two to 14; and rapes -- from 51 to 72, according to the report.

"Violent crimes like that are a little bit more difficult to try and prevent, unless you do that through educating the public," said Manatee County Sheriff Brad Steube, adding that detectives seek trends to inform citizens of certain issues. "Crimes of passion are generally driven by people upset with somebody else, who instead of walking away from the emotions of the situation, decide to pick up that gun or knife."

The sheriff's office jurisdiction, including the city of Anna Maria, reported a 17.9 percent drop in reported crime.

Steube believes that reduction could be due to weekly meetings with patrol captains, administrative lieutenants and specified crime units in which criminal activity is scrutinized by districts and zones.

"We're starting to see the fruits of our labor because we're sharing so much information," Steube said. "We all know who the bad guys are in the community."

Steube said gang units are increasing their presence and residents must call in tips for crime to continue its drop.

"The biggest thing for us is the buy-in we've seen from the community," Steube said. "We're understaffed on the road and responding to over 850 calls a day. We need the help of the public who sees things that aren't quite right or sees a crime happening to call 911."

In the city of Bradenton, reported crime dropped 7.7 percent.

"The bigger picture is not just what we've done in the first half of 2012, but total crime reduction from 2004 to 2012 where crime is down more than 30 percent," said Chief Michael Ratzilowski. "It's down to where we were back in the mid-90s. It's an astronomical achievement, and it's all because the business and community leaders are working alongside our police officers."

Similar to the sheriff's office, Ratzilowski said the Bradenton Police Department completes a daily crime analysis and "deploy our resources where things are happening because we're policing for prevention. We'd rather have the crime not happen as opposed to the crime happening and making an arrest."

Holmes Beach had a 3.6 decrease in reported crimes. The only rises in reported crimes were a 155.6 percent increase on Bradenton Beach and a 100 percent increase on Longboat Key.

In Sarasota County, the number of crimes reported in the first half of this year dropped by 17.7 percent from January to June 2011.

Statewide, the drop was 3.8 percent.

Manatee County crimes including all police jurisdictions, January-June 2012 (compared to January-June 2011):
. Murder -- 14 (2) Rape -- 72 (51) Robbery -- 197 (224) Aggravated assault -- 701 (777)	. Burglary -- 1,321 (1,632) Larceny -- 3,915 (4,673) Motor vehicle theft -- 186 (220)

http://www.bradenton.com/2012/11/02/4263147/community-policing-leads-to-fewer.html

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Texas

Officer returns after studying Polish police

by Cheryel Carpenter

Arlington Police Lt. David McGinty was recently selected to study how the Polish National Police works to serve, protect and maintain public order and security in central Europe. He returned last month after two weeks in Poland, studying community policing and crime prevention activities at work in some of the countrys most populous areas.

Thanks to funding from the Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas, McGinty saw how the Polish police work to ensure public safety, detect and investigate crimes within a country of nearly 38 million people.

McGinty said the experience was invaluable. He took part in officer walk the block activities and was able to see firsthand the impact that geographic policing has on communities, including public spaces such as large retail shopping districts.

He met with Polish National Police Commander-in-Chief General Marek Dzialoszynski. While there, McGinty joined top-ranking Polish officials and the U.S. consulate general to Poland at a 9-11 remembrance ceremony in the city of Kielce.

The Polish National Police is a much larger law enforcement organization and boasts a different type of command structure, McGinty said. The National Police is comprised of 16 regional police headquarters, 329 district headquarters and 2,017 police stations. In Arlington, McGinty serves as the Traffic Commander and has been with the department since July 1991.

It was a great experience in information sharing and learning, McGinty said. Through this program, were forming many important relationships.

Since 2007, the LEMIT International Police Program has been exposing law enforcement officers from the U.S. to policing practices overseas. In return, law enforcement officers from overseas spend time with agencies here in this country. APD has hosted Polish officials, sharing geographic policing information and demonstrating how tourism policing works in the Entertainment District.

According to the LEMIT website, officer exchange opportunities also occur in China, Korea, Thailand, Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom.

Interim Chief Will Johnson said the exchange program reinforces the importance of international cooperation and prepares Arlington officers to be great leaders.

With LEMIT as a partner, were able to provide our officers with a world class education as well as professional development to inspire excellence in management and leadership, Johnson said.

In 2009, APD Lt. Glenn Cole and former Lt. Wayne Isbell also studied in Poland.

http://midcitiesonline.com/showstory.cfm?ID=1368