CRIME RATES DOWN SO FAR THIS YEAR

Crime is down in the city and Lakefield this year, although drug
offences continue their upward trend, say city police. Deputy Chief
Ken Jackman told members of the Peterborough Lakefield Police Services
Board yesterday the number of reported crimes in the first quarter of
2007 is 1,125, down 15.4 per cent from the same period last year. Drug
offences are up 34.4 per cent.

Jackman attributed a large part of the decrease in the overall crime
rate to door-to-door checks by police officers to ensure people living
in the community comply with bail or house arrest rules.

He said some repeat offenders are temporarily out of
commission.

"Some of our significant and repeat-type clientele are currently in
custody," Jackman said.

Despite the lower rate, city police already spent 51 per cent of the
entire year's overtime budget, Chief Terry McLaren said last month
during an update of the 2007 budget. The force had spent $112,231.90
on overtime between January and March, he said.

"A lot of that is police-generated drug work that results in warrants
where overtime work is required," Jackman said yesterday.

While police seem to continue to find and arrest more people using or
trafficking illegal drugs, the rate of charges being laid remains
about the same. In the first three months of this year, police laid 43
drug charges, compared to 32 in the same three months last year.
Factors contributing to the overall fall in reported crimes include: -
A drop of 31 per cent in break ins, many of which are committed by
groups of thieves that travel the province, Jackman said. Last year,
99 break ins were reported between January and March; this year, 68
were reported.

- - This year there have been nine offences of a sexual nature, compared
to 21 in the first three months last year.

- - Assaults have declined to 130 from 139, a 6.5 per cent decrease,
although the rate of domestic assaults is up slightly, and continues
to represent about a third of assaults.

- - Eight robberies have occurred this year, down from 12 last
year.

Police have responded to three attempted murders so far this year,
compared to none at this time in 2006.

So far this year, 58.8 per cent of the city's crimes are solved,
compared to 53.5 per cent last year at the same time. All three
attempted murders are cleared and the clearance rate for the city's
eight robberies is 100 per cent compared to 25 per cent last year when
it had 12 to solve in the first three months.

Fewer sexual assaults are being solved - 77.8 per cent compared to 100
per cent last year. As well, fewer break ins are being cleared from
the books. That rate fell to 13.2 per cent from 39.4 per cent. Overall
calls for service are also down this year to 5,572 from 5,813, a four
per cent drop. The number of complaints involving youth in the city's
west end is increasing. False alarms are also up by four per cent.