The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation's "Crime in Tennessee" report shows that area police saw decreases in most major crime categories over the last five years.
Released earlier this month, the TBI document details every crime and offense listed by local law enforcement agencies across the state. A similar report by the FBI contains only the most egregious offense per crime incident, said TBI spokeswoman Kristin Helm.
TBI switched to the Tennessee Incident Based Reporting System in 2001, and law enforcement officials see the program as a more accurate measure of crime, she said.
In Chattanooga, interim police Chief Mark Rawlston noted that an 11 percent drop in motor vehicle thefts could be linked to police targeting car-related crimes heavily in recent years. Concentrated arrests that hit high-volume criminals or groups can make a serious dent in numbers, the chief said.
"That's where you see the reduction," he said. "You finally get the right person, the right group."
The TBI report showed varied numbers on aggravated assaults and other violent crimes. Police said measuring trends in violent crime is difficult because of the very personal nature of the crimes, often involving people who know each other.
When comparing 2009 numbers with a five-year average, Chattanooga and Cleveland and Hamilton, Bradley and Bledsoe counties all had decreases in aggravated assaults but East Ridge and Marion, Sequatchie, Meigs and Rhea counties all had double-digit increases in aggravated assaults.
East Ridge police spokesman Officer Erik Hopkins said it's often hard to prevent most violent crimes, which typically involve domestic or personal disputes. But he said he's also seen instances where stress about unemployment and debt can reach breaking points.
PDF: Hate Crime 2009 PDF: Tennessee crime in 2009 PDF: Tennessee crime in the past 5 years STATEWIDE FIGURESAll numbers compare 2009 with five-year averageRobberies* Up 13 percent statewide* Up 5 percent in Chattanooga* Up 6 percent in Knoxville* Down 10 percent in Memphis* Down 16 percent in NashvilleBurglaries* Up 1 percent statewide* Up 16 percent in Chattanooga* Up 4 percent in Knoxville* Down 10 percent in Memphis* Remained level in NashvilleAggravated assaults* Down 6 percent statewide* Down 6 percent in Chattanooga* Down 2 percent in Memphis* Down 16 percent in Nashville* Up 4 percent in KnoxvilleSource: Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
"I think people are stressed out. People have obligations and responsibilities to their families and the banks. As a result, their day-to-day lives become stressful," he said.
Though last year's figures are still higher than the five-year average, East Ridge Public Safety Director Eddie Phillips pointed to double-digit percentage reductions in robberies, burglaries and motor vehicle thefts in the city between 2008 and 2009.
Federal grants helped the department hire two new officers, start neighborhood watch programs and begin an unmarked patrol unit that targets crime hotspots, he said.
Coordinating narcotics, patrol and other tactical elements of the departmentalready have contributed to recent crime declines, he said.
Chief Rawlston, in a separate interview, agreed that often police can only respond to violent crimes.
"It's difficult to prevent a domestic assault," he said.
The chief also cautioned comparing cities, which the TBI report does.
"There is no city that is exactly like Chattanooga ... like Nashville, Knoxville or Sweetwater," he said.
Differences in population, demographics and other areas mean there is no "scoreboard" for measuring crime statistics in different locations, he said.
In general, his officers don't get too worked up about the annual report, Chief Rawlston said.
"As for overall strategy, you can't make a strategy based off of 2001 or 2008," he said. "We follow trends as they emerge over a period of days rather than a period of years."
Bradley County Sheriff Tim Gobble said he is pleased that all major crime categories, except for reported rapes, either decreased or remained flat over the last five years in his county.
He credited increased patrolling during his four-year tenure for keeping burglaries flat and decreasing motor vehicle thefts by 27 percent.
Sheriff Gobble praised his department's 55 percent clearance rate -- the number of reported crimes that are solved -- especially compared with the statewide average of 35 percent.
"I think there is a direct correlation to us putting more deputies on the road," he said.
He did not receive a major staffing increase, he said, but nearly four years ago began moving deputies in administrative positions to the patrol division, nearly doubling the number of police in the county.
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Article: Hate crimes down 14% in 2009, TBI says