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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 17, 2015)
A14 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM SATURDAY, JANUARY 17, 2015 FROM PAGE A1 CRIME: continued from page A1 ed in 2014, 35 percent less than the 801 in 2013, with a 10-year average of 869. “The numbers are en- couraging any time you see double-digit declines in crime,” Edmiston said in an email. “Inasmuch as I am pleased with several cat- egories, it shows us some areas of improvement.” VIOLENT CRIMES Of all the crimes re- ported, only the number of robberies reported were higher than the 10- year average. In 2014, robberies reported doubled from seven in 2013 to 14 in 2014 and were 40 percent higher than the 10-year average of 10 incidents. Edmiston said, however, six of the robberies were “simple shoplifting mat- ters where the suspect attempted, threatened or used physical force to es- cape loss-prevention em- ployees,” which elevates the crime from larceny to robbery. Additionally, two of the incidents involved marijuana being stolen from a person. Edmiston said he anticipates higher robbery rates in the future stemming from the legal- ization of recreational use of the substance in Ore- gon, which takes effect in July. “I believe, inasmuch as people want to believe marijuana will be regu- lated through the Oregon Liquor Control Commis- sion, we will see a spike HPD goals The Hermiston Police Department’s goals are the same this year as in 2014. Chief Jason Edmiston said it made sense to keep the same goals because they represented much of what the department does. Customer Service: “Provide police services consistent with the vision and values of our community-based policing organization and serve as ambassadors of the city of Herm- iston with an increased presence of employees at city meetings and functions. Place an emphasis on service delivery to our customers through the establishment of ob- servable, measurable, targeted and specific performance objectives for each employee of the department.” Predictive Policing Strategies: “The department will utilize any policing strategy or tactic that develops and uses information and advanced analysis to inform forward-thinking crime prevention. This includes utilization of available intelligence in the black market sell of the substance,” he said. “The trickle down will impact the livabili- ty of our citizens. I think we will see more rob- beries where one person is stealing a controlled substance from another and possibly more bur- glaries where one person invades another’s prop- erty to steal a controlled substance.” Aggravated assaults also doubled to eight inci- dents from 2013 to 2014, but that number is still 70 percent less than the 10- year average of 27. Two rapes were report- ed in 2014, down from five in 2013 — a 60 per- cent drop — and half of the 10-year average. Ed- miston said in both inci- dents the suspect and vic- tim knew each other. There were no homi- cides in 2013 or 2014 and only four in the last 10 years. Although the robbery and aggravated assault incidents con- tributed to 24 total vio- lent crimes — 50 percent more than 2013’s total of 16 — the 2014 number is 43 percent less than the 10-year average of 42. PROPERTY CRIMES Although the number of arson incidents dou- bled to two from 2013 to 2014, matching the 10- year average, the numbers of the other three proper- ty crimes were less than last year and the 10-year average. Only 34 auto thefts were reported in 2014, 53 percent less than the 72 “The numbers are encouraging any time you see double-digit declines in crime.” Jason Edmiston hermiston police cheif in 2013, with a 10-year average of 65. Edmiston said a nine-year prison sentence for “a person well known to us and no- torious for stealing vehi- cles” contributed to the decline. Although larceny ac- counts for the largest number of crimes, only 388 were reported in 2014, 37 percent less than 617 in 2013 and 38 per- cent less than the 10-year average. Edmiston said he was unsure what led to the decrease. “This department con- tinues to be a full-service agency, meaning no mat- ter how minor the theft is, we generate a report and criminal investiga- tion,” he said. “With offi- cer self-initiated activity up 18 percent in 2014 as compared to 2013, I am hopeful a contributing factor could be having more availability to be proactive versus reac- tive.” Burglaries declined 21 percent from 95 in 2013 to 75 in 2014, which is 45 percent less than the 10-year average of 137. Edmiston said these num- bers were encouraging because he put more em- phasis on criminal inves- tigations when he was ap- pointed chief in 2012. Total property crimes dropped 36 percent, down from 785 in 2013 to 499 in 2014, which is also 40 percent less than the 10- year average of 827. OTHER MEASURES OF SUCCESS Edmiston said, al- though the crime numbers are encouraging, the de- partment also measures its success by how well it accomplishes its annual goals. He said HPD focused on four goal categories in 2014, and they encom- passed the department’s activities so well the same goals are being used for 2015. The categories are customer service, predic- tive policing strategies, traffic issues and livabil- ity issues. “The index crimes are just one component in the overall service delivery of what we do,” he said. “We know our citizen complaints have declined steadily over the years, which could be a sign of good customer service. We experienced an 8 per- cent increase in traffic stops, which could mean we are addressing traffic issues. And then overall livability issues are so important: Our violent crime is still relatively low, our property crime decreased significantly, etc., etc.” Bundle up this holiday season with a new iPhone and iPad. Get up to $ 200 back when you activate any new iPhone and iPad on a Shared Connect Plan. All on a network with national coverage where you need it most. and data, deployment of resources such as a dedicated street crime unit implementing a zero-tolerance stance for all incidents involving elements of gang activity in a timely and targeted fashion specific to each shift or assignment. The continual nurturing of existing partnerships established through Neighborhood Watch, Business Watch and the Community Accountability Board will be critical to successes.” Address Traffic Issues: “Provide for a structured approach in dealing with the traffic-related issues experienced in the city by utilizing engineering, education and enforcement strategies in dealing with these problems. Targeted enforcement of traffic along the Highway 395 corridor will be the priority of a dedicated traffic unit.” Livability Issues: “Focus on those issues which impact the livability of the citizens we serve will be a high priority. This includes noise complaints, animal complaints, drug enforcement and all code issues including areas of blight.” BEST STAND-UP COMEDY ON IT'S WAY TO HERMISTON! Melonville Comedy Festival January 24, 2015 Hermiston Community Center The 22nd edition of the Melonville Comedy Festival will feature three headlining stand up comedians. The comics have been seen on Last Comic Standing, HBO, Comedy Central, and on the Bob and Tom Radio Show. BRAD UPTON , 3 ĂƐ3ďĞĞŶ3ǁŽƌŬŝŶŐ3ĂƐ3Ă3ƐƚĂŶĚͲƵƉ3ĐŽŵŝĐ3ĨŽƌ3 3ϯϱ3LJĞĂƌƐ͘333,Ğ3ŚĂƐ3ĂƉƉĞĂƌĞĚ3ŝŶ3ƚŚĞ3,K3 3ŽŵĞĚLJ3&ĞƐƚŝǀĂů͕3EZW3ZĂĚŝŽ͛Ɛ3ZĞǁŝŶĚ͕3 3ĂŶĚ3ǁŝůů3ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵ3ƚŚŝƐ3ƐƉƌŝŶŐ3ǁŝƚŚ3EĞĂů3 3DĐŽLJ3ĂŶĚ3:ŽŚŶŶLJ3DĂƚŚŝƐ͘33ƌĂĚ3ŚĂƐ3 3ƐĞǀĞƌĂů3ĂůďƵŵƐ3ƚŚĂƚ3ĂƌĞ3ƉůĂLJĞĚ3ŽŶ3yD3 3^ĂƚĞůůŝƚĞ3ZĂĚŝŽ DAVID CROWE 3 /Ɛ3Ă3ĨƌĞƋƵĞŶƚ3ŐƵĞƐƚ3ŽŶ3ƚŚĞ3K34E3 3dKD3ZĂĚŝŽ3ƐŚŽǁ͕3ĂƉƉĞĂƌĞĚ3ŝŶ3ŚŝƐ3ŽǁŶ3 3ŽŵĞĚLJ3ĞŶƚƌĂů3ƐƉĞĐŝĂů͕3ĂŶĚ3ĐĂŶ3ďĞ3 3ŚĞĂƌĚ3ŽĨƚĞŶ3ŽŶ3^ĂƚĞůůŝƚĞ3ZĂĚŝŽ͘ DUANE GOAD 3/Ɛ3Ă3ĐŽŵŝĐ3ǁŚŽ3ŚĂƐ3ǁŽƌŬĞĚ3ŝŶ3ŵĂŶLJ3ŽĨ3ƚŚĞ3 ƚ 3 ŽƉ3ĐůƵďƐ3ŝŶ3ƚŚĞ3hŶŝƚĞĚ3^ƚĂƚĞƐ͘33ƵĂŶĞ3ŝƐ3ĂŶ3 3ŽƉĞŶŝŶŐ3ĂĐƚ3ƚŽ3>ĞǁŝƐ3ůĂĐŬ3ĂŶĚ3:ŝŵ3 3'ĂĨĨŝŐĂŶ͘333'ŽĂĚ3ĂůƐŽ3ŚĂƐ3ĂŶ3ĂŶŝŵĂƚĞĚ3 3ƐŚŽǁ3ŽŶ3ŽŵĞĚLJ3ĞŶƚƌĂů͘ Tickets $35 per person Special Olympics Doors open at 7:00, Show starts at 8:00 Tickets available at Hermiston Chamber of Commerce for more info: 541-561-7488 No refunds Things we want you to know: New Retail Installment Contracts and Shared Connect Plan required. Credit approval required. 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