Murder on the rise…
But crime stats show decrease in rapes, robberies

Photo illustration by Daniel Zollinger

By Leslie Wood
Staff writer

GALLUP — The Gallup Police Department released its 2007 annual report Thursday, which indicated a decrease in most violent crimes.

Major crimes including robbery, rape, assault, burglary, larceny and auto theft occurred less than in the previous year. However, crimes such as homicide and prostitution were on the rise during 2007.

Some of the numbers are as follows:

• In 2007, 20 rapes were reported — a 33 percent decrease from the previous year.
• In 2007, 37 robberies were reported, down from the 61 in 2006.
• 1,335 assaults were reported in 2007 as opposed to the 1,371 in 2006.
• 189 burglaries and attempted burglaries in 2007, a decrease from the 223 in 2006.
  

In the year 2007, there were seven homicides, which is up from the four reported in 2006.

Deputy Police Chief John Allen said that in each of the homicide cases the victim and suspect knew one another. He said detectives investigated a large volume of deaths during 2007, not all of which turned out to be homicide.

“We’ve investigated quite a few deaths this year,” Allen said. “That number is up tremendously.”

Eighty-three deaths were reported to the Gallup Police Department. These deaths occurred at the victims’ residence, on the street and inside vehicles.

They are as follows:

• Three alcohol/exposure deaths
• 23 attended deaths
• 42 unattended deaths
• Two suicides
• Four-train related deaths
• Five pedestrian deaths
• Four vehicle fatal accidents.
  

Prostitution is another area in which Gallup saw an influx. Twenty-seven cases of prostitution were reported, which is a 170 percent increase from last year’s numbers.

Allen said most of the cases were reported at local truck stops, and local law enforcement agencies participated in a sting last summer to cut down on illegal solicitation.

Some alcohol-related crimes also increased during 2007, including incidents of indecent exposure. Transport to NCI were also higher than last year’s numbers.

Incidents of battery on a police officer were less frequently reported, in part to officers being equipped with Tazer guns.
“We’ve outfitted officers in the past year with Tazers,” Allen said. “Once it gets used, individuals don’t think about assaulting an officer again.”

Despite a few select crimes, most violent acts were down from 2006.

Allen and Police Chief Robert Cron attribute most of the success in reducing these crimes to patrol officers.
“The men and women of the department are going out every day and making a difference,” Allen said. “ ... Their hearts are definitely in it.”

The new police administration has also sparked a resurgence within the agency. Cron reportedly met with officers and asked them to create goals for the department and routinely asks for the input in department related matters.

“I think they got a shot of adrenaline when that happened,” Allen said.

Cron said he would like to see officer pay increase within the next year.

“I would like to see the salaries come up and staff stay at full strength,” he said.

Friday
January 18, 2008
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