This is the first story in a four-part series on issues related to crime in Durham
Although he never fulfilled his childhood dream of becoming a police officer, realtor Pat Ellis was inescapabably affected by the high crime rates that have plagued Durham for years.
"I used to read all the crime stories in the paper," said Ellis, who now volunteers as chair of the Durham Crimestoppers' board. "I've always felt that, due to the work [Crimestoppers does] in raising money and paying tipsters, we could reduce the crime rate."
In 2000, 16,396 crimes were reported in the city of Durham, a 7 percent decrease from 1999, in comparison to the statewide 6.6 percent drop. Although statistics for 2001 have not been released, Durham County Sheriff Worth Hill said the rate increased slightly over the last year.
Figures for the first three quarters of 2001 show an increase of 64 robberies, but the overall third-quarter crime rate is about 10 percent less than it was for the first nine months of 2000.
"Crime is two things--the opportunity to commit a crime and the desire to commit a crime. It is our responsibility to prevent the opportunity," Hill said. "Our big numbers are in break-ins and larcenies. Those are the two areas that keep our crime stats up, but the community is more concerned with homicide," he said.
There were 28 murders in the city of Durham in 2000, up from the previous year's decade-low total of 16.
"Murder is the most difficult crime to try to deal with because in most instances it is a crime of passion," said Lewis Cheek, Durham mayor pro tempore. "I believe a fair amount of crime in Durham is gang-related and a significant amount is drug-related," he added, explaining that these two long-time causes of violent crimes have been particularly common among 16- to 22-year-olds.
Lt. John Mozart of the Durham Police Department emphasized that while homicide is a major concern, no crime can be overlooked. "You cannot ignore the lesser crimes because they have a huge impact on the perception of crime in the community," Mozart said. "It is our job to eliminate that."
Non-violent crimes have significantly contributed to Durham's crime rate. Property crimes, which include burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft, accounted for nearly 90 percent of crimes in the city in 2000.
Mozart said he believes any recent increases in crime are likely the results of economic suffering. "In economic downturns, you're going to see an increase in robberies," he said.
Although both the DPD and sheriff's office have grown, a desire to further increase the number of patrolling officers remains strong among citizens, Mozart said. The number of positions in the police department has climbed to 476, and the sheriff's department has expanded from 110 deputies to 143 since Hill took office.
Mozart said that due to the tight budget, a staff increase in the police department is not likely to happen in the next year or two. But he added that it is important that the public not perceive a decline in services.
Cheek said crime prevention has also been a major issue for the Durham City Council. "What we've tried to do is become very active in the effort to deal with crime. We tried to ensure that [former DPD Chief Teresa] Chambers got what she needed in terms of money and equipment and manpower," Cheek said. "We all should be very pleased with what is happening in the police department and their efforts to deal with crime."
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