Despite aiming for a 5 percent drop in crimes ranging from murder to petty theft, the Berkeley Police Department recorded an 11 percent year-over-year increase in such crimes during 2012. However, according to a report from police chief Mike Meehan, most of the increase was due to a spike in larcenies last year.
“Crime in several categories remained near or below 2011 levels. In 2012, there were fewer robberies,aggravated assaults, burglaries and arsons than in 2011,” wrote Meehan. Larcenies Percent of 4,102 Total for 2012 Petty Theft 51% Auto Burglaries 37% Grand Theft 12%
[For a breakdown of all crimes in Berkeley in 2012, and a year-by-year comparison, see the screenshots attached to this post.]
Mehhan wrote that, "several strategies and tactics contributed to the reduction of certain crimes, particularly robbery and burglary. These included:
- Multiple weekly Crime Analysis and Response Strategies meetings
- Robbery Suppression Teams—Data driven and specifically focused teams working in partnership with the University of California Police Department (UCPD) to reduce street robberies
- South Side Safety Patrols—A partnership with the UCPD designed to address on-going crime and community issues in the South Campus area
- Initial implementation of a Crisis Intervention Team—A program designed to improve safety for the public, mental health consumers and officers which offers the potential to prevent crime
- Telegraph Avenue Patrol (TAP)—A joint UCPD/BPD patrol covering the areas ofTelegraph Avenue and People’s Park
- Identification and focus on chronic offenders"
