Crime numbers, police OT down in Channahon

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Updated: March 11, 2012 8:28AM

CHANNAHON — Police are patrolling more in Channahon, and crime is down, according to a report given to the village board this week.

Police Chief Jeff Wold submitted the department’s annual report, and much of the news was good, despite the tought economy.

Sometimes during a recession, Wold said, crime goes up.

But in Channahon last year, felonies, misdemeanors and vehicle accidents were down. Burglaries were cut in half from the year prior.

The average police response time was also faster in 2011, from 2 minutes, 54 seconds in 2010 to 2 minutes, 48 seconds last year. Four years prior, the response time was 4 minutes, 5 seconds.

Also significant was the reduction in police overtime hours.

In 2007, police logged 4,380 OT hours. Last year, overtime was 2,840 hours.

That has saved the department a lot of money, Wold said.

The decrease in overtime was mostly due to the increase in the number of patrol officers. Last year, there were 17 patrol officers year, up from 11 four years ago.

“In 2007, most of the overtime was spent in training,” Wold said.

With more officers to cover patrols, training is conducted during regular shift hours. Wold also believes crime and response times are down because more officers are on the streets.

“With more officers, they are free to patrol more. You can prevent a certain percentage of crimes just from being on patrol,” he said.

One of the few numbers that has continued to rise substantially over the past five years is DUI arrests.

Wold believes that isn’t because there are more drunken drivers. Instead, he believes police are more successful at catching those driving under the influence.

“With IDOT funding, we are able to have specific DUI patrols. I think more are getting caught,” he said.

Community policing has also been helpful in reducing crime, Wold said.

When Village Administrator Joe Pena came on as police chief, he made community policing a priority, Wold said.

That will continue.

Talking with residents and business owners and managers about locking building and car doors has paid off, he said, in reduced burglary rates.