Fairfield's Crime Rate Drops

Fairfield's Crime Rate Drops
Largest Decline Is In Assaults
By Reporter Staff
Article Launched: 02/08/2008

Crime is down in Fairfield, according to statistics released Thursday by the Fairfield Police Department.

Overall, the city saw a 4.3 percent drop in Part I Crimes in 2007 compared to 2006. Part I crimes include violent crimes such as murder, rape and robbery, and property crimes such as burglary, theft and arson.

The largest decreases in crime came in the number of aggravated assaults, where a 10-percent drop was reported and robberies where an 8 percent drop was recorded.

The number of murders and rapes remained the same from 2006 to 2007 - there were 7 murders and 36 rapes each year. However, the overall violent crime rate in the city went down by 9 percent, from 647 violent incidents in 2006 to 590 in 2007. That drop is attributable to the large decrease in robberies (from 241 in 2006 to 221 in 2007) and aggravated assaults (from 363 in 2006 to 326 in 2007), officials noted.

Property crimes were also down across the board. Burglaries dropped 6 percent, theft was down 3 percent, auto thefts declined 4 percent and arsons were down 6 percent.

The overall reduction continues the downward crime trend in Fairfield, officials said. From 20002 to 2007, Part I crimes have decreased by 11 percent.

"I believe our hard-working officers and our continued focus on working in partnership with the community are two of the factors which have contributed to the current reduction in crime," said Police Chief Kenton Rainey. "While there are other elements which also impact crime, we will continue with our COPPS philosophy and proactive commitment to improving the quality of life in Fairfield."

The COPPS, Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving, program is an approach to policing that is more proactive and fosters relationships among the community, government and police. It divides the city into service areas, with each area assigned its own lieutenant, sergeants and team of officers who get to know the area, residents and issues and can deal with problems before they arise.

That crime is down in the city doesn't mean the department's work is done, officials said.

"The Fairfield Police Department will continue to track its service levels to maintain satisfactory staffing standards and ensure quality public safety," a press release on the crime statistics concluded.