Both Largo and Clearwater have seen an increase in crime this year. "When the economy turns bad, crimes goes up and we are now overwhelmed," says police Chief Lester Aradi.
By CHRIS TISCH
Published August 30, 2003
Crime has jumped in both Clearwater and Largo in the first six months of 2003, according to statistics released this week.
In Largo, crime was up 7.8 percent compared to the same six-month period last year.
Violent crime surged 37.3 percent, though most of that came in the form of aggravated assaults.
Murders, robberies and forcible sex crimes remained about the same.
Police Chief Lester Aradi did not know why aggravated assaults almost doubled from 59 in 2002 to 98 this year, but said he was looking into it.
"I'm particularly alarmed in a couple areas," he said. "We're researching it right now."
Property crimes in Largo also spiked by 7.8 percent. Burglaries were down by 13.7 percent, but larcenies were up by 8.9 percent and auto thefts swelled by 36 percent.
"When the economy turns bad, crime goes up and we are now overwhelmed," Aradi said.
Aradi said calls for service have risen to an all-time high of more than 50,000 in the first six months of the year, up 13.7 percent compared to last year.
Meanwhile, arrests were up 27.2 percent, traffic citations increased by 34.7 percent and drunken-driving arrests surged by 75 percent.
Aradi said that means his officers are working harder.
He believes his 126-officer force needs more positions, even though he faces the elimination of several civilian employees in the city budget.
"If crime was up and our officers' activity was down, I would know where the problem was," he said. "(But) our officers on the street are running from call to call to call. They're overwhelmed and as the numbers bear out, it's not for a lack of effort on their part."
Clearwater's crime statistics were similar to Largo's for the first six months of this year.
Violent crime shot up 19.7 percent, while property crime was up 4 percent.
Murders fell dramatically, but forcible sex offenses were up 44.9 percent to 71 crimes.
Robberies fell slightly while aggravated assaults were up 26.1 percent.
Clearwater police Sgt. Doug Griffith said it's hard to say why crime was up.
Clearwater's crime was down slightly last year.
"It's like the temperature, it goes up and it goes down," Griffith said.
Clearwater's auto thefts and larcenies are up, but burglaries fell by 11.3 percent compared to last year, which Griffith attributed to a burglary initiative the department has taken up in recent years.
Both agencies compiled the statistics to provide to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the FBI, which will compile state- and nationwide crime statistics in the coming weeks and months.
