Encouraging progress in the war on crime

The horrific murders of two Tampa policemen and the highly publicized manhunt for the suspect made it appear as if the region was overwhelmed by crime.

But the hard facts are more reassuring. Residents should appreciate the job the Tampa Police Department and the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office have done in keeping crime in check.

To be sure, the community is hardly crime-free. Burglaries, drug dealing and other offenses remain too common. Juvenile offenses are picking up, an alarming trend. This year, for some reason, the murder rate is up in both the city and county.

Still, the hard numbers show an overwhelming decrease in common crimes. The sheriff's office reports that 20 years ago about 80 crimes were committed per 1,000 persons. Now that number is 38 per 1,000, a drop of more than 50 percent.

County crime has declined roughly 20 percent in the last two years alone. Tampa also has experienced dramatic reductions - a 56 percent drop over the seven years Mayor Pam Iorio has been in office. FBI crime statistics show Tampa to be safer than many Southern neighbors, including Miami, Atlanta, New Orleans and Houston.

The Tampa Police Department reports since 2002, burglaries are down 44 percent; robberies are down 61 percent and auto theft is down nearly 80 percent.

All these declines are no coincidence. Improved law enforcement techniques are getting results.

Sheriff David Gee, for instance, has focused on targeting prolific offenders.

As Col. Greg Brown of the sheriff's office says, "It's a relatively small number of criminals who commit most of the crimes."

When they are sent to prison, it has a tremendous impact on crime numbers.

That is why the sheriff's office has deputies assigned to the State Attorney Mark Ober's office to help build cases against relentless predators.

Communications is a priority and any intelligence is disseminated among the office's four districts. Communication with Tampa, Temple Terrace, Plant City and the University of South Florida police is emphasized.

The sheriff's office and the police department have compatible radio systems, and Brown says collaboration during the recent manhunt "was amazing."

Tampa police have been no less strategic. The department, for instance, developed a plan for officers to track crime in their areas and develop a daily plan for arresting culprits and preventing future offenses.

Police Chief Jane Castor's team, like the sheriff's office, stresses intelligence. A crime analyst in each of the city's three districts prepares a daily report that shows when particular crimes are occurring and how and where the crimes are being committed. Suspects are identified.

Both Tampa police and the sheriff's office attribute much of their success to partnering with neighborhood residents. They can be an invaluable resource, alerting officers to suspicious activities and possible suspects.

Of course, the city's and county's impressive crime-fighting statistics will give no comfort to the residents who come home to discover their house has been burglarized or to other crime victims.

Crime remains too common for complacency.

But citizens also should recognize most neighborhoods are notably safer than they used to be. Gee, Castor and Iorio deserve credit for attacking crime with vigor and intelligence.