Crime falls, again, in Ocean Shores

According to Mike Styner, Chief of the Ocean Shores Police Department, “Total incidents for 2008 were down 12 percent from 2007. Class A Crimes, such as rape, robbery, burglary and assault were down 26 percent in 2008.” (The 26 percent drop in Class A crimes is a slight adjustment from the preliminary figures Styner gave at last month’s retreat, when he said those crimes had dropped by 29 percent.)

Styner noted that burglary was down 59 percent, compared to 2007.

These statistics reflect a continuing decline in crime in Ocean Shores.

From 1995-2002, the OSPD made an average of 402 arrests per year. (Click here for OSPD web site showing full chart of stats.)

Since 2003, the police have averaged 278 arrests – a 30 percent drop, even as the population has grown by more than 20 percent.

 In 2008, there were 271 arrests, in 2007 there were 285.

There were 41 burglaries in 2008, down from 102 in 2007. The 2008 total was the lowest since 1999, when there were 39 burglaries.

OSPD recorded 79 thefts in 2008, after 80 in 2007. Thefts are down about half from the high points, when there were 158 in 2000, 163 in 2001 and 181 in 2002.

OSPD issued 392 traffic citations in 2008, down from 496 in 2007. By comparison, there were 757 traffic citations issued in 2000, 763 in 2001 and 819 in 2002.