Santa Paula’s crime rate
decreases in 2014 as city enhances services
February 18, 2015
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
Santa Paula’s crime rate has been on a wild ride that saw the number of homicides increase by 500 percent in 2013 and fall by half in 2014 as well as other rising and falling crime numbers that could reflect the shrinking of the police department before the city again began enhancing services.
Overall the rate for Part I Violent Crimes fell by 21.1 percent last year when compared to 2013; Part I Property Crimes also saw a year-over-year decrease of 8.7 percent and the combined number of incidents reported fell by 4.8 percent.
Police Chief Steve McLean said the falling number of crimes is due to various factors: beefing up the force allowing more proactive policing and public participation in reporting suspected wrongdoing are among the factors reducing the number.
The numbers come from the Santa Paula Police Department’s annual report of Part 1 Crimes, a listing reported to the FBI each year that includes criminal homicide, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny/theft, grand theft auto and arson.
In 2014 there were three homicides, a 50.8 percent decrease over the six homicides - a number that tied a 2002 record - that occurred in Santa Paula in 2013.
All those crimes categorized as violent - criminal homicide, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault - declined in 2014 to 86 compared to the 108 violent crimes reported in 2013. In 2012 violent crimes had totaled 90 incidents.
In 2012 there had been one homicide reported so the six murders that occurred in 2013 represented a 500 percent year-over-year increase.
Santa Paula also had less forcible rapes in 2014, three reported compared to the six that occurred in 2013, also a 50 percent drop in the crime. In 2012 there were four rapes reported to police.
Robbery went down considerably from 34 incidents in 2013 to 18 last year, a 47.9 percent year-over-year decrease; in 2012 there were 28 robberies reported.
Aggravated assault also declined from 63 in 2013 to 62 in 2014, a 3.2 decrease for the crime that had a reported 57 incidents in 2012.
Overall, the Santa Paula Police Department reported a 22.4 percent year-over-over decrease in Part I Violent Crimes in 2014.
Part I Property Crimes also saw an 18.0 percent drop overall.
There were 74 burglaries in 2014, a 29.3 percent decrease from the 103 reported in 2013. In 2012 there were 104 burglaries reported.
There were 358 incidents of larceny/theft in 2013 and 321 incidents in 2014 for an 11.8 percent decrease. In 2012 there had been 425 incidents of larceny/theft.
Police put the brakes on grand theft auto last year with 53 thefts reported in 2014, compared to the 75 that occurred in 2013, a 30.5 percent decrease. In 2012 there were 64 reports of grand theft auto.
There were three reports of arson in 2014, a 41 percent decrease over 2013 when five of the fiery crimes were reported. In 2012 three arsons were reported.
Overall, the SPPD reported that Part I Violent Crimes decreased 22.4 percent overall in 2014 when compared to 2013, and Property Crimes went down 18 percent. Part I Crimes overall in 2014 declined 18.7 percent year-over-year.
Calls for service have also seesawed over the years: according to McLean there were 24, 670 calls in 2012, 23,481 calls in 2013 and 25,496 calls in 2014.
McLean, who joined the city in July 2013, said he believes the increase in calls in 2014 “reflects the expansion of our Neighborhood Watch Program, our outreach efforts via Facebook, and overall community involvement with the police.”
With the SPPD going from 34 full-time officers in 2010 to 20 full-time officers in 2013, last year’s expansion of the SPPD to 28 full-time officers also had an impact on call numbers through police initiated action.
The FBI also requires annual reporting on Part II Crimes, which includes recovered/possession of stolen property, narcotics/drug violations, weapons violations, warrant arrests, drunk driving, drunk in public, liquor law violations and misdemeanor traffic violations.
