The number of serious crimes reported in Annapolis declined nearly 10 percent last year, a new report shows.
Police investigated 2,235
serious crimes in 2007, down from 2,473 in 2006, according to the report.
The report covers serious crimes tracked annually by the FBI, including homicide, rape, aggravated assault and several categories of theft.
Almost all serious crimes decreased, with the biggest drop, 61 percent, in reported rapes.
The number of reported homicides increased by one, to eight, while motorvehicle thefts increased from 183 in 2006 to 195 in 2007.
Citizens have complained of vacancies in the Police Department and of gunfire and armed robberies, particularly in Eastport.
“I don?tknow whether this report will alleviate those fears,”
said Lt. Brian Della, police spokesman. “The concerns of the citizens are something we need to work on.”
Della said the lower numbers are not the only measure of a citizen?s level of safety.
Citizens have attributed the prevalence of crime in part to 19 vacancies in the Police Department.
Ward One residents have asked the City Council to require monthly reports from the police department on recruiting efforts to reach a full force of 131 officers.
“We?re still looking to continue to hire police officers,” Mayor Ellen Moyer said. “We don?t want to fall below where we are now.”
Moyer welcomed the drop in serious crimes, but noted the number still exceeded the 2,097 reported in 2005.
“We?re very happy about the numbers,” she said, “and we?d like to get down to where we were in 2005.”
