ANNAPOLIS, MD - Mayor Gavin Buckley and Annapolis Police Chief Edward Jackson announced a Neighborhood Safety Plan and released public safety data on the City website on Monday. Further information at: www.annapolis.gov/1841/Mayor-Buckleys-Neighborhood-Safety-Plan.
Over the course of the past year, Mayor Buckley and Chief Jackson have met with community leaders and residents to learn what programs or actions they believe will allow them to be safe and feel safe. The Mayor and others also asked what neighborhoods were already doing that was working. Internal discussions revolved around what the City could reasonably provide. From those conversations, a Neighborhood Safety Plan was developed. Programming is ongoing and includes four pillars:
1. Prevention:
- Re-Entry Program with workforce development, the opening of a Parole Office at APD, and classes in financial literacy.
- LEAD Annapolis: working with courts and police to divert non-violent offenders to community-based services.
- Inter-agency coordination: county mental health referrals and full staffing for APD.
2. Community Relations
- Youth programs: Recreation and Parks, Police Camps and Field Trips, One Annapolis Pop Up Camps
- Resource centers: On-site at Robinwood and Harbour House; staffed with social work teams; more walk and talk by the officers in neighborhoods.
- No Harm: substance use and abuse and violence interruption programs.
3. Accountability
- Body Worn Cameras: Since 2017, all sworn officers wear and are trained in Body Worn Cameras.
- Early compliance with Maryland Police Accountability Act including “No Knock” warrants, internal investigations and public information requests.
- Civilian Review Advisory Board was established in 2020.
4. Enforcement
- Safety is a priority. All residents have a right to live in safe communities and the City Council has authorized $1 million in FY22 for public security camera upgrades.
- Closing cases: Holding criminals accountable by swiftly solving and closing cases.
- Reduce crime and incarceration: By strengthening community ties, police can focus on protecting residents from criminal activity.
In addition, the City has implemented neighborhood walks to make safety upgrades, install and repair lighting, ensure tree overgrowth doesn’t obscure the view of security cameras, and assist property managers in understanding their obligations.
RELEASE OF POLICE CRIME DATA
In Annapolis (as of September 27, 2021), data shows that crime as reported in the Uniform Crime Report that the City is required to file annually with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, is at an all-time low. The report shows:
- In the 1970s-1990s, between 1,800 and 3,200 annual Part One (violent crimes categorized as homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault) and Part Two crimes (property crimes categorized as burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft) were reported each year with crime reaching a peak in 1982 of 3,179 crimes per year;
- In the mid-2000s, that number began to drop precipitously, following a nationwide trend, dropping from around 1,900 crimes in 2008 to 1,200 crimes in 2009;
- In the year 2020, the number of total crimes reported was 1,046, the lowest number ever reported in the aggregated data submitted to the FBI as required by law.
In each of the categories for Part One and Part Two crimes, the numbers are lower for (year-to-date) 2021 than in (year-to-date) 2020. There were a total of 736 crimes during January to September 2020 compared to 639 crimes during January to September 2021, or a monthly average of 81 crimes last year and 71 crimes this year.
For homicides, 2020 had a total of six. In 2021, including the Pleasant Street homocide on Thursday, Annapolis has had five.
Police Chief Edward Jackson reminds residents that the highest incidence of crime in all wards of the City is theft from vehicles and urges residents to protect themselves by locking their car doors and not leaving valuables in plain sight. In addition, especially as we move into the colder months, Annapolis Police remind residents that leaving vehicles idling and unattended is an open invitation to a payday for some lucky criminal.
“It’s not very smart to do that, and it is also against the law in Maryland,” Chief Jackson said. “If you want to warm up your car, do it while you’re sitting inside of the car.”
Annapolis Police also offer a number of programs designed to not only reduce criminal activity, but reduce arrests. These include:
- Reentry/PIP - a program to provide assistance to members of the community returning from a period of incarceration.
- Neighborhood patrols - Officers are dedicated to patrolling areas experiencing increased crime to offer assistance.
- Community - Engagement teams help at-risk youth with school work while “Character Counts” provides positive interaction with law enforcement.
- Security services - Starting in December 2021, APD will offer private security and staff to assist communities with security and training.
- Juvenile diversion - Starting in Summer 2022, APD will partner with ex-offenders to speak to at-risk youth to help them avoid incarceration and develop camps, conflict resolution and more.
- Partners - Annapolis Police will work with the Masons to support a new lodge with the intent of mentoring youth.
“Annapolis is a safe City,” said Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley. “We are committed to ensuring that it is a safe City in all wards and in all neighborhoods. I appreciate hearing from residents and property managers and police as to how we get there and I am encouraged that we are on the right track with our public safety team and the public’s support.”
