Rate per 1,000 residents increased from 15.4 reported crimes in 1999 to 17.4 in 2000.
By: Brian Shappell
The township crime rate in 2000 increased from 1999, according to the state’s Uniform Crime Report.
According to the report, the township crime rate per 1,000 residents increased from 15.4 reported crimes in 1999 to 17.4 in 2000.
The violent crime held stable at 0.7 per 1,000 residents, while the nonviolent crime rate increased from 14.9 per 1,000 to 16.7 per 1,000.
Police Chief Police Michael Paquette and Public Information Officer Jim Ryan say the increase is partly due to a growing South Brunswick population, which means, there are more opportunities for crime.
"It’s still a safe community," Chief Paquette said. "In the last decade, we’ve grown 46 percent. The more people, the more there is criminal activity.
"Overall, crime is down," he said.
The Uniform Crime Report is based on crime statistics submitted to the New Jersey Uniform Crime Reporting System by every state law enforcement agency.
The annual report tracks violent and nonviolent crimes. Violent crimes include murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault. Nonviolent crimes include burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft. Burglary and motor vehicle theft statistics include attempted thefts and thefts.
Chief Paquette and Officer Ryan said there is a need in the community for more police officers because, according to the 2000 Census, South Brunswick is the third fastest growing community in New Jersey.
"With the growth of the community, there’s a higher dependence on the department to provide services," Officer Ryan said. "It goes hand-in-hand."
Aggressive crime prevention and community education measures were the main reason crime in the township has not significantly increased with the larger population, police said.
"A lot of it goes to partnership with the community," Officer Ryan said. "The officers have a rapport with people. They report things and feel comfortable to call us when a problem starts."
The number of burglaries decreased in 2000, dropping from 110 in 1999 to 107.
Increased participation in neighborhood watch groups can also help explain why burglaries unlawful entry or attempted entry dropped.
In some South Brunswick neighborhoods, block captains are networking so they can cover larger areas, police have said.
There are more than 25 Neighborhood Watch groups in town.
Incidents of larceny, or theft, in South Brunswick increased from 355 in 1999 to 482 in 2000.
Auto thefts increased from 34 in 1999 to 43 in 2000 though the amount is still far less than the total from four years ago, when 71 cars were stolen.
The amount of violent crimes, the forcible taking of property, held steady with no murders or rapes in 2000. There was a slight increase in aggravated assault from 21 in 1999 to 24 in 2000. The number of reported robberies dropped from four in 1999 to one in 2000.
Domestic violence incidents increased from 129 in 1999 to 144 in 2000.
Domestic violence is defined as a violent act a relative or acquaintance that includes murder, terroristic threats, lewdness, criminal trespass, harassment and stalking.
Often, incidents of domestic violence happen behind closed doors, police have said. It means that the most powerful tool in the war against these crimes is education. The more people learn about domestic violence, hopefully, the less it will happen, police have said.
The Police Department works with victims of domestic violence and tries to help them use the tools that are available to them. Residents volunteer to meet with victims of domestic violence and help them obtain counseling or teach them what they should do when they go to court for the incident.
The township’s bias crime total increased from 3 in 1999 to 7 in 2000.
A bias crime is defined as any suspected or confirmed crime committed against a person, private property or public property based on race, color, ethnicity, creed, sexual orientation, gender or handicap.

