Crime and Crime Prevention

Crime Prevention

The change to a community policing philosophy resulted in many individual officers giving presentations to various community groups and businesses.  The individual officer is encouraged to identify needs within the community and find programs or training to meet those needs.  Service clubs routinely asked for a speaker on a wide range of topics.

In March of 2006 eleven citizens graduated from a Citizen Academy. The department started the popular Citizens Academy several years ago.  The academy brings in interested community members and educates them on the roles of police officers within the community.  The attendees are treated to training ranging from firearms training to role playing.  Each graduate also rides along with on-duty personnel to experience the job first hand.

Crime

The following statistics are representative of the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program to which the Albert Lea Police Department is a contributing agency.  Our Records Unit reports local criminal offense statistics to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for compilation of state statistics.  That agency in turn submits Minnesota statistics to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for inclusion in nation crime statistics.

All criminal offenses reported within Albert Lea are categorized according to the standardized definitions developed for the UCR program.  A single crime is carried for each incident.  The UCR program does not include traffic violations.  UCR statistics include only jurisdictional population figures along with reported crime, clearance, or arrest data.

*ALBERT LEA 2006 CRIME STATISTICS

There were 16,771 calls-for-service in the City of Albert Lea in 2006
(Calls-for-service are not synonymous with criminal acts.)

Class I Crimes

Murder......................................................................................................... 1
Rape............................................................................................................. 1
Robbery....................................................................................................... 2
Assault....................................................................................................... 23
Burglary.................................................................................................... 44
Theft........................................................................................................ 357
Vehicle Theft............................................................................................ 23
Arson............................................................................................................ 2
Class II Crimes

*Class I and Class II crime statistics are from January through November due to a delay in receiving statistical data from the state.

We have the capability within our records department to breakdown our total calls for service into 107 categories.  The yearly totals on some of the more noteworthy categories, not reported as a class one or class two crimes, are as follows:

                   Vehicle Hit & Run Accidents                    137
                   Traffic Accident, No Injury                       440
                   Injury Traffic Accidents                              56
                   Juvenile Problems                                      369
                   Domestics                                                  393
                   Animal Control Complaints                     1167
                   Attempt to Locate                                        79
                   Bar Checks                                                300
                   Child Abuse/Neglect Report                        98
                   Child in Need of Protection                           9
                   Harassment/Stalking Complaints                266
                   Liquor Law Violations                                 74
                   Medical Assistance                                    829
                   Missing Person                                             22
                   Noise Complaint/Disturbance                    282
                   Permit to Purchase Handgun                        74
                   Juvenile Runaway Report                            84
                   Suspicious Person or Vehicle                     579
                   Traffic Stops                                            3169
                   Violation of Order For Protection                68