MIDDLETOWN – The township’s overall crime rate has decreased about 6 percent, according to the latest New Jersey State Police Uniform Crime Report.
“The Middletown Police Department, its Quality of Life Unit and a very supportive community deserve a large measure of credit for the decreased crime rate,” former Mayor Anthony P. Fiore said.
The 45th annual New Jersey State Police Crime Report is based on statistics submitted to the New Jersey Uniform Crime Reporting System by every New Jersey law enforcement agency for the year 2011. Information about 2012 will be released in December 2013.
The township’s overall crime rate for 2011 is 13.2 incidents per 1,000 inhabitants compared to a rate of 14.0 incidents in 2010. The township’s total crime index dropped to 881 in 2011, from 930 in 2010. Violent crimes decreased to 36 in 2011, from 46 the year before. Non-violent crimes also went down to 845 in 2011, from 884 in 2010, according to the report.
The Middletown Police Department’s Quality of Life Unit is used to identify and arrest those for community offenses that affect the community’s quality of life. The unit was responsible for the arrest of more than 200 subjects through the end of 2011 for offenses such as narcotics, burglaries, receiving stolen property, warrants and other criminal activity, Police Chief Robert Oches said.
The police department also works closely with the township’s two Neighborhood Watch groups – one in Ideal Beach and another in the Fairview section of town.
“We are beginning to see the positive impact that such groups, working in conjunction with the Police Department, can have on our community,” the mayor said. “I encourage other neighborhoods to follow in their footsteps in the coming year.”
The overall crime rate in Monmouth County dropped about 2 percent to 23.7 incidents per 1,000 inhabitants from 24.2 incidents. Statewide the crime rate increased about 3 percent to 24.7 incidents per 1,000 inhabitants, according to the report.
The 45th annual New Jersey State Police Crime Report is based on statistics submitted to the New Jersey Uniform Crime Reporting System by every New Jersey law enforcement agency for the year 2011. Information about 2012 will be released in December 2013.
Visit www.njsp.org/info/ ucr2011 to view the full report.
