The number of violent crimes in Orangeville dipped slightly in the first half of 2006, with 161 reported offences compared with 169 in the same period last year.

The offences included assaults, sexual assaults, robberies and threats being uttered.

"Although small, this decrease in violent crime within our community is a very positive trend that we are committed to maintaining well into the future," said Police Chief Rod Freeman. "We currently enjoy a very safe community and we attribute that safety to a strong police/community partnership."

In terms of propertyrelated crimes, there was an increase in reported property offences - 522 compared with 462 in the first half of 2005. This increase was due mainly to an increase of 30 reports of thefts from unlocked motor vehicles 26 more reports of vandalism.

"The safety and security of our property is a shared responsibility between citizens and the police," Chief Freeman said.

"We actively encourage members of the public to take precautions that remove the opportunity for others to steal or damage their property.

"For the most part, these are preventable crimes that can be stopped by simply ensuring your car doors are locked before you retire to bed at night or properly securing your valuables."

There also was an increase in "other" reported crimes, such as: bail violations, counterfeiting, disturbances and probation breaches - 144 this year compared with 127 in the first half of 2005.

The jump is attributed to an increase of 16 reported bail violations by accused who were released from custody awaiting trial on other criminal charges.

Drug enforcement produced similar results in the two time periods, with 37 drug charges being

processed, including 14 of possessing or trafficking in marijuana, three for possessing or trafficking in cocaine and the remainder in relation to other controlled drugs or substances.

"While I never like to see any increase in local crime, the Orangeville Police Service stands fully committed to ensuring the safety and security of our community for the benefit of all citizens," the chief said. "Our success is largely dependent on refining that valuable relationship between the members of the community and the police service. We all benefit by having a safe community to live, work and play in."