Despite factors such as the economy, joblessness and a migration of homeless during the winter, Hollywood’s Police Department (HPD) continues to make strides in reducing crime.
Hollywood’s total violent crime rate decreased 4 percent from 2007 to 2008, according to the latest information available from a Municipal Uniform Crime Report, a report system that allows the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to provide standardized reports on crime statistics based on validated numbers.
The report indicates a decrease in the violent crimes of forcible sex offenses and robberies, but an increase in aggravated assaults. The total non-violent crime rate, comprised of burglary, thefts, motor vehicle burglary and motor vehicle theft, increased 5 percent from 2007 to 2008.
Hollywood Police Chief Chadwick Wagner contributed the decrease in the total violent crime rate to the increase in street patrolling. In 2007, the Hollywood Police Department, which contains 336 officers, had only one street crime unit, he said, but after shifting 24 officers from other branches of the department to patrol, they currently have four.
Seven of those 24 new patrol officers are designated Neighborhood Team Leaders (NTL’s). NTLs work with their area’s Crime Watch organizations, homeowner’s associations and commissioners to identify and resolve the problems and concerns of residents and visitors.
“We publicly acknowledged that we had a crime problem (in 2007),” Chief Wagner said. “We don’t make any excuses here. But our numbers consistently decreased in our violent crimes since then.”
According to comparisons of January through June 2008 to January through June 2009, the report shows a 21 percent decrease in total violent crimes and an 8 percent decrease in non-violent crimes. Statistics for the remainder of 2009 are not yet available.
“We hit the streets hard,” Chief Wagner said regarding the comparison. “Our focus for next year is burglaries. We have to start addressing the rise in residential burglaries.”
On a national scale, Hollywood ranked No. 250 out of 393 cities for the lowest crime rates, according to “City Crime Rankings 2009-2010: Crime in Metropolitan America,” a study complied by criminologists based on 2008 data.
The report, issued by the independent publisher CQ Press in Washington, D.C., focused on cities with populations higher than 75,000 and evaluated them based on six categories: murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary and motor vehicle theft.
Hollywood scored higher than the national average in each category except aggravated assault. And, of the 27 cities listed from Florida, Hollywood landed in the middle as the 13th safest. The study declared Coral Springs as the safest city in Florida (rated No. 48 in the nation), and Orlando as the city with the highest Floridian crime rate (rated No. 377 in the nation).
The study, however, does not address variables such as geographic and demographic factors in its compilation and uses invalidated numbers, facts Assistant Police Chief Louis Granteed said makes it inaccurate.
“South Florida is a very unique area,” Chief Wagner said in response to the national study. “It’s not fair to compare us to other places in the country.” He said factors like tourism, waterways, demographics and motels differentiate Hollywood from cities across the nation.
In a comparison of the nearby coastal cities of Dania Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Hallandale, cities they feel are fair for comparison, Hollywood had the second highest violent crime rate. Fort Lauderdale scored the highest. Hollywood also had the second highest decrease in violent crime rates. Hallandale topped the list.
But the decreases in crime rates are not appeasing all Hollywood residents.
Hollywood resident Richard A. Smith said that he feels the recent economic crisis has led to an alarming increase in crime rates both nationally and locally and doesn’t feel completely safe in Hollywood.
“In Hollywood in particular, there have been several recent incidents regarding crooked HPD officers, which does very little in the way of inspiring confidence in the HPD,” said Smith, executive vice president at Adaptive Creations, Inc. “I have taken my own steps to ensure my own protection and that of my clients, my family and my business.”
Resident Neil Smilen, who had his landscaping truck burglarized, feels similarly to Smith and takes measures to protect his interests on his own, while Kilwin’s owner Edouard St. Hilaire and Argiz Advertising owner Joe Argiz feel safer in Hollywood since last year.
“I feel very safe in my home and at my office and do not have problems sleeping at night,” Mayor Peter Bober added. “I think the Hollywood Police Department is extremely responsive to citywide needs and believe they have done a fantastic job in reducing violent crime in our community.”
After recently spending five hours riding along with Officer Ernie Candolmo of the Police Street Crimes Unit, Commissioner Richard Blattner also acknowledged the apparent success of the HPD.
“(We made) two drug busts and numerous arrests for prostitution. This was a good experience for me and gave me a new appreciation for police work,” Blattner said. “Ernie is the absolute prototype of a street cop; he loves it and does it with pride and professionalism.”
Chief Wagner said Hollywood has an excellent police department that is not only responsive to citywide crime, but also very aware of community needs. The department donates 30 to 40 percent – only 15 percent is required – of seized drug money to community organizations such as the YMCA, Broward Outreach and Crime Stoppers.
“These are the organizations that really impact the youth (and keep them on the right track),” he said. “We really pride ourselves on these numbers.”
...