Towns’ crime rates increased in 2005

BY CHRIS GAETANO Staff Writer

BY CHRIS GAETANO
Staff Writer

South Brunswick’s crime rate rose slightly last year, contrasted with a sharp increase in North Brunswick’s, according to the Uniform Crime Statistics report issued by the New Jersey State Police.

North Brunswick’s crime index rose by 71 between 2004 and 2005, jumping from 994 to 1,065 offenses known to police. Of the various categories for crimes in the report, motor vehicle theft rose the highest, with 32 more instances reported than last year, giving 2005 a total of 98 incidents. Violent crime in general also rose, but at a rate much lower than others, with nine more cases reported than the previous year.

North Brunswick Director of Department of Public Safety Kenneth McCormick noted that the department has seen 10 retirements within the last year and that it takes time to train new officers well enough to get them on the road.

“[From] 2005 and into 2006, we experienced up to 10 retired officers. … We were running at around 76 most of 2005,” said McCormick.

He said that the township has authorized him to bring the force’s numbers up to around 86 by the spring of 2007. This will allow the department to restart their anti-crime unit, which had to be temporarily put on hold due to officers retiring in 2005.

Domestic violence in North Brunswick decreased between years, with a decrease in cases of 16. McCormick credits new initiatives focusing on domestic violence for the drop.

According to McCormick, the department will be placing special emphasis on curtailing gang activity this coming year, as well as “quality-of-life initiatives.”

Meanwhile, in South Brunswick, the overall crime rate has risen by nine, taking it from 537 in 2004 to 546 incidents in 2005. The sharpest increase was in nonviolent crimes, which rose by 11. Meanwhile, violent crime overall went down by two.

The township did see a slight increase in the number of robberies – 15 this year, six more than last year’s figure. Larceny also experienced a rise, with five more than last year, bringing the total to 357. Meanwhile, South Brunswick saw a rise in the number of motor vehicle thefts, seven more than last year’s total of 39.

As far as decreases go, South Brunswick’s largest was also in domestic violence, with 15 fewer incidents than last year, bringing 2005’s number down to 127.

South Brunswick Chief of Police Raymond Hayducka credits the relatively small increase to the increased staffing the department has seen over the last few years.

“The 2005 crime statistics … are reflections of the hard work the men and women of the South Brunswick Police Department do every day. As the population continues to grow, we are faced with the challenge of maintaining the quality of life we have all come to enjoy. We have one of the lowest violent crime rates in the county. That is a credit to the Township Council and manager for the emphasis they have placed on the police department’s staffing levels,” said Hayducka.