Shelburne’s crime rate decreased more last year than the national average, a report released by Statistics Canada has revealed. The Shelburne Police Service crime severity index, which gives more weight to some crime than others dropped 24.7%, compared with a 4% drop in the national average.

The weighted clearance rate provides a more meaningful and comparative measure of clearance rates among police services. It gives police credit for cleared cases but also rates the severity of the crime solved.

Violent crimes, which are crimes that involve a victim, decreased by 5% from 2008 and non-violent crimes such as mischief’s and thefts decreased by 30.4%.

In 2009, Shelburne Police reported a weighted “clearance rate” of 65.7% with the national average being 37.9%. The Shelburne Police Service also reported a violent crime “clearance rate” of 91.2% and a non-violent crime “clearance rate” of 55.6%. The national average for violent crime and non-violent crime was 59% and 29.3%.

Police Chief Kent Moore said part of the reason crime is down “is because our officers are highly visible and know the community. Community education and better-planned enforcement also contribute to crime reduction”.

Chief Moore added, “As happy as I am with our services performance there is always room for improvement in preventing and solving crime. We will continue to focus our efforts towards working with the community to reduce crime.”

Other police news

Between August 15 and 22 the police service responded to 84 calls for service. Below are some highlights:

Criminal harassment

On August 17, the Shelburne Police Service responded to a complaint from a female about harassment. As a result of a police investigation, 21- year-old Brittany Clarkson and 25-year-old Karalee Mucha of Shelburne are both charged with criminal harassment. They were given court dates in Orangeville.

Quarterly Statistics

From April 1 to June 30, the police service laid a total of 603 charges. They are broken down as follows: • Criminal Code charges: 114 • Controlled Drugs and Substances Act: 8 • Highway Traffic Act: 440 • Liquor Licence Act: 13 • Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act: 19 • Trespass to Property Act: 8 • Other Provincial Statues: 1

Members of the Shelburne Police Service responded to 1002 calls for service. They investigated 31 motor vehicle accidents, issued 16 parking tickets , were involved in 35 hours of Community Service events, logged 957 hours of cruiser patrol time and completed 385.5 hours of radar and traffic enforcement.

All told, officers conducted 1239 hours at investigations and 1056.5 hours writing reports and performing office duties. Beat Patrol Hours, 72.5 in the downtown area, 40.5 hours in schools, 47 ‘other’ hours and 13 hours of bike patrol.