We often take it for granted that Portland is a safe place. We have our share of crime – sometimes with tragic results – but for the most part, people who live, visit or do business here feel secure.
Fortunately, not everyone takes it for granted. The men and women of the Portland Police Department have focused on tracking crime patterns and making sure their resources are deployed in the right places. The results of those efforts last year showed up in the crime statistics that were just released.
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The city reported significant decreases in crime in 2011, particularly in burglaries and robberies. The drop can be attributed to police using statistical analysis to decide where to deploy officers. Suspects are getting arrested instead of staying out on the street and committing more crimes.
It’s worth noting that these results were achieved at a time when the city didn’t have more to spend on crime-fighting. Several years of tight budgets have required that the people in charge of the department do the best with what they have.
The records of crimes committed in 2011 suggest that there could be more good news next year. Car theft is actually on the rise, but as in the past, it usually happens when the driver leaves the keys in the car or hidden in an obvious place. With a little effort, members of the public could better protect themselves by taking the precaution of locking their vehicles and pocketing the keys.
A major driver of crime continues to be drug use, and police efforts are needed to make life difficult for the people who traffic in them. This is not just a law enforcement problem, however.
It will take continued education to steer young people away from drug use and public health efforts to treat addicts to reduce demand for drugs and drug-related crime.
It will take a city-wide effort to build on law enforcement’s success.
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