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October 30, 2009

Anonymous The Commercial-News Fri Oct 30, 2009, 08:18 PM CDT

Local officials and law enforcement officers must be pleased with the recent report compiled by the Illinois State Police that shows the county experienced an overall decrease in crime in 2008.

Statistics, as is common knowledge, can be used to “prove” lots of things, but the state police report takes the total number of incidents reported to police and compares them to the number from 2007. That’s a pretty accurate snapshot of the county.

The results erase the stereotype many people develop out of fear rather than facts.

Two of the reasons cited by Vermilion County Sheriff Pat Hartshorn and Danville Public Safety Director Larry Thomason were increased manpower in areas where crime reports are higher and increased participation by residents.

It makes sense to schedule more patrols in areas more prone to crime. The city’s use of the Problem Oriented Policing unit created in 2007 already has yielded positive results.

The most positive statistic, however, has to be the increased number of residents willing to help make their neighborhoods safe by calling in to report suspicious activity or providing about incidents they have witnessed.

The growth of neighborhood associations within the Danville particularly also has played a role in the fight against crime. Members of neighborhood associations use the power of community to deter criminals.

The bad guys count on people who don’t want to get involved, who don’t know their neighbors and who don’t care about something that looks out of place. Neighborhood associations help connect people, who then combine their efforts to make their street a safer place to live.

The same strategy works in the counties smaller communities and in rural areas. While there might not be a formal association established, simply keeping an eye on neighbors and making a call if things look awry can be effective in reducing crime.

If there’s a neighborhood association nearby, join it. If not, contact the local police department for information how to start one. Being proactive helps stop crime.

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