Overall, crime is down in the city of Lynnwood.
The police department just released its annual report for 2010, and it shows a drop of seven percent in “part 1 offenses” compared to 2009. Those include homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, theft, vehicle theft and arson. The largest drops were in arson, robbery and rape.
Police Chief Steve Jensen addressed the city’s low officer staffing levels in the report.
“Through this difficult period our employees still maintained their performance as professional in all disciplines in the department. Our sworn and civilian staff recognized that despite any reductions in funding and staffing their obligation was to render the highest level of police services to the community,” he wrote.
“Response times to citizen calls for service have been maintained with the reduced staffing levels although, inevitably, self-generated activities have declined as the time available has diminished,” Jensen added.
A hardy shout out to our police department for helping make this happen and doing so on a short staff. The sign of any true professional is making a really difficult job look less difficult. In reading Chief Jensen’s report, it is encouraging that the numbers for crime are mostly down. With that said, a weakened staff will, in time, show its vulnerability. With lower morale, less enforcement on the street and a uncertain future, I’m worried about the ability of LPD to bring this kind of good report in the future and the viability of the staff. Metaphorically, it is like the Seattle Mariners who were over achieving with a less than optimial staff. They won for a while, but in time went on a 17 game losing streak. I hope that our police department will not permanently be left in a vulnerable position by being under staffed. I once had some critism of the PD. But after watching the budget crisis fiasco at the city last fall, observing many council meetings, talking to some of the officers and reading as much as I can, I have become an avid supporter of the LPD. Thanks to all of our dedicated men and women who helped make this happen. Public safety is job one for any city, in my opinion.
This is outrageous. I can only surmise by this article that the formula for determining crime statistics must be broken and should be scrapped and immediately replaced with a formula that better shows us how at risk our community and families truly are.
I for one am precisely 2 entry level police officers and one lateral
hire with at least 3 years of patrol experience away from feeling safe, comfy,
and secure.
Hummm, I just remembered the city council…. better make that 3 entry level officers and 2 lateral hires.
Just remember, as always, that politicians and civil servants intent on making political hay at the local level jump almost instantly to safety issues – to wit, police, fire, and EMT’s. Just look at the budget fiasco last year: the boogeyman of reduced police, fire, and EMT’s was predictably trotted out before the public and used as an excuse to go on a frenzied orgy of taxation, all because “we didn’t have enough money” … and here we are today still funding Lynnwood University and a Luxury Water Park.
Take the assessments of reduced public safety with a grain of salt. After all, look — crime is DOWN. It’s too funny!
Crime may be down but the city council is still lurking around out there someplace.
HIRE MORE POLICE, PROTECT US FROM THE LYNNWOOD CITY COUNCIL!