Ryan Carter Police Capt. Larry Koch, who...

Ryan Carter

Police Capt. Larry Koch, who becomes the department’s deputy chief

this year, likens the importance of goals to a ship’s voyage.

“If you don’t set your course, you won’t ever know when you get

there,” he said. “You’ll never know when you achieve the goals.”

For police, this year’s goals include increasing diversity in the

ranks, combating identity theft through public education and cutting

down on alcohol sales to minors by conducting sting operations.

Police are also looking to upgrade the agency’s internal computer

network, giving officers more access in the field to link crime-

analysis programs, training records, property management, criminal

investigations, personnel and training records.

Though Burbank Police are touting a 5% crime decrease through most

of last year, the 2001 increase from the year be- fore was 6.7%. That

contrasted to Glen- dale’s8.3% decrease and Pasadena’s 7.2%.

To decrease crime, Koch reiterated the importance of a program

called Crime Analysis Directed Patrol Operation Project, which began

in 2001.

It combines tracking data with records management and various

computer programs to analyze crime. The officers and supervisors then

come up with ways to suppress the crime patterns. Koch said the hope

is every month, each bureau -- whether it’s patrol or investigations

-- will use crime-data analysis to solve and prevent crime patterns

seen during each shift, Koch said.

Koch also stressed a continuing goal to keep emergency response

times to less than three-and-a-half minutes and all calls under 15

minutes.

On the Fire Department side, officials hope to install a new

system of computers and software that would give firefighters in the

field faster access to information, including building layouts.

After several months of renovation, officials plan to reopen the

main emergency operations center. Disaster Preparedness Coordinator

Rich Baenen sees the revamped center as a kind of mission control,

complete with video display monitors, computer consoles and new

conduits for increased cabling.

Officials will continue a marketing campaign to increase

participation in the department’s Emergency Medical Services

Membership Program. In the program, residents pay a small monthly or

annual fee for ambulatory service rather than a large fee if the

service is ever needed.