Total reported crimes down 18 percent in Oak Ridge

There was an overall 18 percent drop in reported crimes in Oak Ridge in 2014, officials said Thursday.

The annual numbers, which compared 2014 to 2013, were released by the Oak Ridge Police Department and the City of Oak Ridge.

Anderson County released its annual crime statistics on Wednesday, and they showed crime was down in all of the county and its cities by 12 percent in 2014—and down by 42 percent over the last eight years.

The Oak Ridge numbers were generated by Oak Ridge Police Department Crime Analyst David Gordon in coordination with the Anderson County District Attorney General’s Office.

“The Police Department achieved reductions in crime from last year in many categories,” a City of Oak Ridge press release said. “However, some are of particular note and should be highlighted.

“Here is a quick summary of the attachment for 2014 crime stats (compared to 2013), with an approximate +/- factor of .5 percent, which includes those reductions which are most significant:

• Group A Offenses (Total)—15 percent decrease

• Crimes Against Persons—38 percent decrease
  • Aggravated Assaults—24 percent decrease
  • Simple Assaults—24 percent decrease
• Crimes Against Property—1 percent decrease
  • Burglaries—23 percent decrease
  • Vandalism—40 percent decrease
• Crimes Against Society—54 percent decrease
  • Narcotics Violations—44 percent decrease
  • Narcotics Paraphernalia Violations—65 percent decrease
  • Weapons Laws Violations—83 percent decrease

• Group B Offenses (Total)—29 percent decrease

• All Offenses Total (Groups A and B Combined)—18 percent decrease

The press release said there was a 24 percent increase in robberies, and thefts from motor vehicles increased by 15 percent. It said the Oak Ridge Police Department will focus on developing strategies to address those two areas in 2015.

Vehicle burglaries rose by 15 percent, due to a rash of break-ins last year in parking lots along Melton Lake Drive and Edgemoor Road, the release said.

“Fortunately, this is an issue the Police Department addressed through aggressive directed patrols, prompt and thorough follow-up investigation, and a public information campaign, without which the rate may have been much higher,” the release said.

Shoplifting also rose dramatically by almost 60 percent. But the release said this will be difficult for the Police Department to directly address, so it will work with businesses to collaborate on crime reduction strategies by advising them and monitoring how to best prevent shoplifting in retail establishments.

Patrol officers are also focusing more on getting impaired drivers off the roadways, and this resulted in a 31 percent increase of impaired driving arrests this year, the release said. It said ORPD will continue to use the Governor’s Highway Safety Office grants and partnerships with other law enforcement agencies to further reduce impaired driving.

“Overall, the Police Department worked to reduce crime at unprecedented rates in 2014, and will continue to protect the citizens of Oak Ridge through continued efforts to increase public safety in 2015,” the release said.

Here are the stats:

ORPD Crime Summary 2013 and 2014
		2013		2014
GROUP A OFFENSES
Crimes Against Persons
	Murder	0		1
	Negligent Manslaughter	0		1
	Kidnapping/Abduction	8		2
	Forcible Rape	14		8
	Forcible Sodomy	0		1
	Sexual Assault with Object	0		0
	Forcible Fondling	11		6
	Incest	0		0
	Statutory Rape	4		4
	Aggravated Assault	119		90
	Simple Assault	395		301
	Intimidation	41		16
	Assault (Stalking)	8		4
Crimes Against Persons Subtotal		600		434
Crimes Against Property
	Arson	8		6
	Bribery	0		0
	Burglary/Breaking and Entering	197		152
	Forgery/Counterfeiting	53		34
	Destructive Damage/Vandalism of Property	229		160
	Embezzlement	12		16
	Extortion/Blackmail	1		0
	False Pretenses/Swindle/Confidence Game	60		71
	Fraud Credit Card/Automated Teller Machines	50		42
	Impersonation	28		24
	Fraud-Welfare	0		0
	Fraud-Wire	0		0
	Motor Vehicle Theft	36		29
	Robbery	17		21
	Stolen Property Offenses (Receiving)	31		11
	Theft-Pocket picking	0		0
	Theft-Purse snatching	0		0
	Shoplifting	196		329
	Theft from Buildings	209		180
	Theft from Coin-Operated Machine or Device	5		3
	Theft from Motor Vehicle	125		144
	Theft of Motor Vehicle Parts or Accessories	39		25
	All Other Larceny	122		155
Crimes Against Property Subtotal		1,419		1,402
Crimes Against Society
	Drug/Narcotic Violations	163		91
	Drug Equipment Violations	103		36
	Gambling-Betting/Waging	0		0
	Operating/Promoting/Assisting Gambling	2		0
	Gambling-Equipment Violations	0		0
	Gambling-Sports Tampering	0		0
	Pornography/Obscene Material	2		2
	Prostitution	1		0
	Prostitution-Assisting/Promoting	0		0
	Weapon Law Violations	18		3
Crimes Against Society Subtotal		289		131
TOTAL GROUP A OFFENSES		2,308		1,968
GROUP B OFFENSES
	Worthless Checks	5		4
	Curfew/Vagrancy	0		0
	Disorderly Conduct	46		27
	Driving Under the Influence	88		115
	Drunkenness	103		145
	Family Offenses-Nonviolent	10		9
	Liquor Law Violations	12		9
	Peeping Tom	0		0
	Runaway	44		0
	Trespass of Real Property	95		44
	All Other Offenses	182		63
TOTAL GROUP B OFFENSES		585		416
GROUPS A&B TOTALS		2,893		2,384

 

More information will be added as it becomes available.