Smart Law Enforcement

Cities in Orange County have seen dramatic drops in crime rates despite having fewer police on the streets than elsewhere in the state and country. One reason for the encouraging results has been the willingness to use new technology. Another has been the recognition that not all jobs in the station house need to be done by sworn officers. So, for local law enforcement, one cheer for being forward looking and another for using common sense.

A recent Times analysis of state records showed that the county has 1.2 police officers per 1,000 residents, compared with a national average of 2.4 and a state average of 2.3. The survey did not include the Sheriff’s Department, which is responsible for non-patrol duties such as running the jails, as well as acting as the local police force in cities that contract for its services.

In 1990, Westminster had 96 police officers, or 1.23 for every 1,000 residents in the city. Last year there were only three more officers on the force. In nine years the population had increased and the ratio of officers to residents dropped to 1.13 per 1,000. Yet the city’s crime rates dropped.

Why? The Police Department bought software to map crime patterns and purchased fingerprint scanners. In addition, there is a computerized statistics unit with an in-house expert who helps officers detect crime patterns. Westminster Police Capt. Andrew Hall said the new equipment has been more effective than additional officers would have been. He said the department is looking more deeply at the crime patterns rather than just automatically putting more blue uniforms on the streets. Reported crimes have dropped 45% since 1990, Hall said.

In Laguna Beach, which has nearly two officers per 1,000 residents, a much higher ratio than Westminster, Police Capt. Danelle Adams spoke of the “delicate balance” needed between technology and personnel. That’s a realistic appreciation of what’s required. After all, computers are not going to solve crimes on their own. Much depends on how they are programmed and used. But departments willing to use the latest technology in innovative ways deserve credit for a willingness to adapt and experiment.

The Laguna Beach force increased from 46 to 49 officers in nine years, but, as with Westminster, the increase in population was greater, so the ratio dropped. To improve operations, the department also took advantage of technology such as an automated report dictation system, which it said saves the equivalent of eight hours of police time a day.

Laguna Beach, like many departments in the county, also practices community policing. That requires not only personnel but also the decision to get the police out on the streets, meeting residents and learning the ins and outs of neighborhoods. Rather than staying in a station house waiting for the phone to ring or just riding in a car for eight hours, community policing requires coordinating with neighborhood watch programs and occasionally walking streets to become a known presence.

Costa Mesa Police Chief David L. Snowden said getting the community involved has helped reduce the city’s crime rate 63% in the last decade. Citizens who volunteer to help police with various tasks free the officers for crime fighting. Many cities in the county have tried to hire more civilians to handle administrative functions. In addition, having laptop computers in police cars makes paperwork quicker, giving police more time to patrol.

A good economy and a decrease in the number of men in their early 20s, which criminologists say is the age when men are most likely to commit crimes, have been major factors in the decrease in crime rates in Orange County. But police crackdowns on gangs and a willingness to embrace technology also have helped. In cases where populations increase dramatically, there will be a need to add police, no matter how good the latest computers. Searching for the right balance between personnel and technology will continue to be a challenge.