by Tom MacCallum
Excerpt from Richmond County Daily Journal on Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Violent crimes in which someone was hurt in Richmond County are reported at a rate which is some five points lower than the statewide average and lower than five other surrounding counties.
Rockingham Police Chief Robert Voorhees said he was pleased that the 2007 to 2008 fiscal year report is out and shows that the Rockingham/Richmond County community “is a safe community” by comparison.
However, he is concerned about any possible effects action by the N.C. Legislature may have on costs for law enforcement agencies and their governing bodies.
He said he was proud that the local rate was lower than the state average.
The delinquency rate for children from six to 17 years of age was 2.8 percent, he said, compared to 3.2 percent in Montgomery County, 3.6 percent in Moore County, 5.1 percent in Anson County and 7.9 in Scotland County.
Compared to Richmond County’s 10.98 rate for violent crimes, Scotland County was lower at 7.41 percent. Overall violent crime rates for Anson, Hoke, Montgomery, Moore and Robeson were all higher than Richmond County.
From 2007 to 2008, aggravated assault cases in Rockingham dropped from 81 to 39 and robberies dropped from 17 to 15. While the numbers of incidents are low, it doesn’t take much activity to increase rates by points when an incident occurs.
He credits the local effort to keep the rate low to “Everybody working together in a close-knit community.”
He said Rockingham had a strong recreation program with sports activities and after-school programs which helped keep the juvenile rate down.
Voorhees said all law enforcement agencies in the county contribute to the Uniform Crime Report which issues the crime rates.
“One thing to note in statistics is that someone is three times more likely to be assaulted by someone they know than a stranger,” he said.
Having a low crime rate can be a double-edged sword, Voorhees said, because some funding of grants, such as the Justice Assistant Grant, can mean less money unless the city can justify full funding.
“Being successful in curbing crime can mean we can be the victim of success,” he said.
Voorhees said the department is seeking a $500,000 Community Oriented Police Service grant to keep the department at its current staff level. He won’t know until October.
He along with other law enforcement agencies is keeping an eye on what the N.C. Legislature is doing in trying to reduce the state’s $4.5 billion revenue shortfall.
“We are fighting to keep the state from transferring costs to us,” Voorhees said.
Being proposed is that departments would have to pay a $250 fee to certify an officer with the state and $100 thereafter each year to renew officer certifications.
For each new training certification — such as with breathalyzer training — a fee of $25 would be required.
The department is now partnering with Richmond Community College for in-service training. Each officer has to have a minimum 24 credit hours a year for certification. “All of our officers have more than the minimum training,” he said.
The legislature wants to charge $45 per credit hour. “With 35 officers, that would add some $55,000 to our budget each year,” Voorhees said.
He urged residents to contact their legislators to object to such a move.
“We completely understand the need to make cuts to deal with the $4.5 billion shortfall, but transferring costs to law enforcement is a horrific idea,” he said.
“Officers in Rockingham do a great job,” Voorhees said. “You don’t get the statistics down by working in a vacuum. We have been proactive in our contacts in the community such as with the summer program on Long Drive.”
n Contact reporter Tom MacCallum at 997-3111, ext. 15; e-mail
