Moses Lake crime rate results show split

Preliminary numbers show violent crime up

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake Police saw a slight drop in the number of reported crimes they handled last year, but Police Chief Dean Mitchell expects continued fluctuation in the numbers as the city's overall crime rate remains steady from year to year.

According to preliminary figures released by the city this week, total crimes went down in Moses Lake from 2004 to 2005, but the number of violent crimes saw a rise. A number of variables about the methods used in the crime reporting system, however, is keeping Moses Lake Police from drawing significant conclusions from the report.

"What we've found is in Moses Lake our property crimes and violent crimes fluctuate quite a bit," Mitchell said.

The figures come from the police department's preliminary uniform crime reports, a calculation of crime rates which is annually collected by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs.

According to the results, Moses Lake Police responded to 1,505 overall crimes in 2005, down 5.3 percent from 1,589 in 2004. Property crimes, such as burglaries and car thefts, were also down 6.8 percent from 1,533 in 2004 to 1,428 in 2005.

Despite a decrease in property crimes, the city reported an increase in violent crimes like assaults, robberies and rape. Moses Lake Police responded to 77 violent crimes in 2005, up 37.5 percent from 56 in 2004. More than half of the violent crimes reported in Moses Lake were classified as aggravated assault.

The relatively low number of crimes reported can lead to high percentage changes from year to year, which is why Mitchell said the police department doesn't like to boast about percentage changes in the crime rate from year to year.

Mitchell said the reports also do not consider a number of variables; such as whether a crime is a misdemeanor or felony, or the number of people who commute and spend much of their time in the city but reside just outside the city limits. Traffic accidents are also not considered in the crime reporting.

In the near future, Mitchell said the police department will be switching to a different reporting system which police personnel believe is a more accurate means of assessing crime rates.

One figure Mitchell said he is proud of is the number of calls cleared by officers. Cleared calls, in which property is recovered or an arrest is made, were up 15 percent last year from 413 to 475.

Mitchell pointed to a lower property crimes number in 2005, but said based upon 2006 numbers those property crime reports are going to be up next year. Mitchell said the police department is trying to work to address that increase.

Some of the crimes, Mitchell said, the police department has no control over. But they do try to have patrol officers be a little more proactive and put an emphasis on security for crimes which tend to happen during overnight hours where police have seen an upswing in property crimes in recent months.

"One thing we're trying to do is change strategies, especially on night shift," he said, noting the officers are trying new tactics during those off hours.

But the biggest thing the department can do is add manpower to its force. This year will be the first in many which the city will see an addition in the number of officers patrolling city streets. The city has hired two additional patrol officers, who are scheduled to start at the police department in July.

"This is probably the first time in a lot of years that we've increased our manpower in the police department," Mitchell said.

The department, too, is always on the lookout for grants that could help upgrade city police equipment. Increased communication and technology for the officers has been a result of some of that grant funding, and cameras and laptop computers are affording patrol officers the chance to perform much of their work from inside their patrol cars.

And as Moses Lake continues to grow, Mitchell anticipates crime numbers to slowly climb as well. The crime rate is expected to stay the same, but Mitchell anticipates the numbers of those crimes to increase.

"We're a growing community," he said. "There are more people in our town, and with growth you're going to get more calls for service with police."