Crime Grows, but Police Budget Doesn't

Jarvies gave a presentation before the Town Council on Wednesday night that included data indicating a 29 percent increase in part-one crime, which includes homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, motor vehicle theft and larceny. Jarvies could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Chapel Hill police spokeswoman Jane Cousins said that during this time period, robberies increased about 89 percent, from 28 incidents to 53. Burglaries rose from 240 incidents to 349, about a 45 percent increase, she said.

At Wednesday's meeting, the police department proposed an $8.9 million budget for next year -- a 2.1 percent increase over this year's estimated $8.78 million budget.

But the town asked the police department to prepare a budget based on a likely zero percent increase in funds, meaning the town does not want the police department to bank on an increase in funding.

"This is a very tight budget year," council member Pat Evans said Thursday. "We're having to not add on (programs) to balance the budget. We do all we can with the resources we have."

But shortages in the police department combined with the town's budget cuts have put a strain upon the department's ability to perform, Maj. Tony Oakley said Thursday. "We're 16 posts short over the last couple of months, up over the usual 10 short," he said. "That's a big decrease when you're only talking about a hundred-man work force. I don't see us getting any more (this year)."

Oakley added that the rise in crime is tied to a faltering economy, citing that a lot of the crime occurs in low-income areas.

"Some of this has to be attributed to the economic situation," Oakley said. "Some folks can't get a job and move toward the crime aspect to make a living."

Oakley said the police force will continue a number of efforts to reduce the crime rate. "Our crime prevention office is continually going to involve itself in the community," he said. "We are continually having our foot beats in the downtown area. We're still doing outreach programs to kids, entering the community that way."

Oakley said the crime prevention department is also working with the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, posting information about crime on its Web site.

Oakley said the department will continue to work with local housing assistance organizations to renovate run-down buildings to deter people who would tend toward crime. "We'd like to expand these programs, but we're just trying to maintain the presence we've got with the shortages we have."

The City Editor can be reached at citydesk@unc.edu.