By Carly Plemons
Crime rates started to show a decline in Chico during the first three months of 2016.
According to the Police Department’s 2015 Annual Report, robbery, assault, burglary and theft reports all dropped in the first quarter of 2016 compared to the year before. Car theft, however, increased by about 7 percent.
The report shows that between 2014 and 2015 rates increased before they started to show a decline.
Lieutenant Rob Merrifield of the Chico Police Department said a combination of factors helped push the crime numbers down. He said restoring the department’s TARGET team, which was formed to address the root causes of crime in the city, and filling vacant positions on the force were key.
“If you’re just reading stats, you know, and you're trying to figure out where the crime issues are, there’s always a lag time. You’re a little bit behind it,” said Merrifield, who leads the TARGET team. “But if you actually are out talking to people and hearing from them what they’re seeing, I think that’s helped us be more effective.”
He also said social media has been used more efficiently this year compared to previous years to better inform the public about crime trends or specific issues, establish better connections with the public and listen to citizens’ input about where enforcement should be focused.
Two new state sentencing laws, he said, had the opposite effect.
Merrifield said Prop 47 and AB 109 reduced penalties for things like vehicle theft and other crimes. The criminal element in Chico is aware of that.
“You’re not going to go to jail for any significant time on your first vehicle theft or even your second. You know, that is a challenge that’s beyond our control,” he said. “There’s been a change in what’s happening in our communities and it seems reasonable to think that those two things (prop 47 and AB 109) are…what’s responsible.”
Under the new laws, Merrifield said, someone arrested for possession of meth would face the same penalties that a minor in possession of alcohol would have; they'd both receive tickets.
He also said Chico experiences comparatively high rates of theft and other crimes because of how student-oriented it is.
Laptops, televisions and an assortment of belongings attract criminals, especially when student-populated neighborhoods turn into ghost towns during the holidays and many school breaks, which makes it easy for criminals to take advantage.
If a prominent police presence and strong community outreach continue, Merrifield predicts that crime rates in the future will continue to drop and create a safer community.
