JUNE 10, 2016, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A7
CRIME,
continued from Page A1
More recently, Steele spot-
ted a trend in the specifi cs of
some area thefts.
“Individually, the incidents
probably wouldn’t have trig-
gered anything, but we started
seeing similar items taken, simi-
lar points of entry and exit, and
all those things came together
to paint a bigger picture,”
Steele said.
It led to a major bust of a
theft ring on Marino Drive
North in January of this year.
Cars, utility trailers, ATVs,
quads and various wheels,
compressors and numerous
construction tools were recov-
ered in the course of the inves-
tigation.
The trends in Keizer crime
also have a place in recent dis-
cussions regarding the need for
more police offi cers in Keizer.
KPD has 38 offi cers – ranging
from beat cops to detectives
– making it one of the least
staffed police departments in
Oregon for a city of its size.
Teague would like to see
two additional offi cers on the
night shift and another detec-
tive. If residents want more traf-
fi c control presence, he would
push for a fourth offi cer.
“Right now, we don’t have
the ability to contain bad guys
category that includes person-
to-person violence or theft of
property. Only 64 of those in-
volved violent actions.
“Property crimes are always
going to be the bulk of what
we investigate,” Steele said.
By looking at the crime
numbers with a depth and
breadth that had previously
eluded KPD, Steele’s work led
to recent break-ups of theft
rings and one drug house that
had been in service for more
than two decades.
In December 2014, KPD
received a number of nuisance
calls around a specifi c home
on Juedes Avenue Northeast.
However, the calls were com-
ing in at different times during
the day and being reported to
different members of the four
KPD offi cer shifts.
“It wasn’t until Cara brought
that (cluster of calls) to our at-
tention that we realized we
had a problem. From there we
worked on a problem-oriented
policing solution, wrote war-
rants and were able to shut it
down a month later,” Teague
said.
in a perimeter on the night
shift,” Teague said.
Studies of police services
cannot connect the presence of
more offi cers with a decrease
in crime numbers, but it could
make a difference in the quality
of service, Teague said.
“When we get one more
detective, you’re going to have
a detective show up at your
house to investigate a burglary,
not just a patrolman,” Teague
said.
The additional offi cers
would also free up the current
roster to investigate current and
past crimes. There is only one
unsolved murder in the his-
tory of the city - Christine
Michelle Speten in 2011 – but
Kuhns contends it remains a
solvable case.
“More offi cers would free
up time for us to be able to go
back to the Speten homocide
and bring a resolution to that
case,” Kuhns said.
That’s one area that the
KPD’s associated crime num-
bers can back up. Between
2014 and 2015, KPD increased
its case clearance – in which
an investigation is brought to
some resolution, not necessar-
ily an arrest – from 68 to 78
percent.
possession of only trace amounts of controlled
substances.
“We’re shifting priorities away from felonies
continued from Page A1
and to misdemeanors,” Clarkson said. “We also
present some of those charged with lesser crimes
for infractions related to livability issues, like with the opportunity to have the charges dis-
criminal mischief or urinating in public, it’s missed if they show strides toward rehabilitation.”
not uncommon for those contacts to result in
Lt. Tad Larson, of the Marion County Sher-
charges for possession of a controlled substance, iff ’s Offi ce, and Anne-Marie Bandfi eld, of the
Clarkson said.
Marion County Public Health Department,
In the past, the vast majority of those cases explained how the CORT team has attempted
were forwarded to district at-
to take on mental health issues
torneys and felony charges
encountered by police offi cers
were fi led.
without immediate arrests and
“That resulted in using jail
jail time.
space for people with substance
“We have clinicians riding
abuse problems and it created a
along with offi cers as a team
revolving door,” Clarkson said.
to sites of disturbances,” said
“We have people who aren’t
Bandfi eld. “In addition to that
getting treatment, getting re-
we have case managers, crisis
leased, ending up back in jail,
prescribers and money to pro-
and then prisons as they are
vide wraparound services that
charged with more, and higher
stop the recycling that happens
level, felonies.”
with mental health issues that
— Paige Clarkson result in jail time.”
The “felony resumes” be-
come an impediment to gain- Deputy District Attorney
The result is lowered re-
ing employment and housing,
cidivism rates for mental health
two of the primary factors that
patients who stay connected to
lead to homelessness.
treatment, Bandfi eld said.
“We’re trying to address a public health prob-
Both programs are part of a shift in approach-
lem with the criminal justice system,” Clarkson ing the problems related to homelessness, Clark-
said.
son said. It focuses on reducing harm for individ-
In 2015, the DA’s offi ce began treating of- uals and the community rather than attempting
fenders found with controlled substances differ- one-size-fi ts-all cures or hiding the problem
ently. More than 850 felony charges were lodged individuals out of sight in correctional facilities.
against those found in possession of a controlled
“It requires redefi ning success, we’re no lon-
substance, but another 555 charges were not fi led ger looking for perfection, we’re looking for bet-
against fi rst-time offenders and those found in ter,” Clarkson said.
ARREST,
“We’re trying
to address a
public health
problem with
the criminal
justice system.”
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