For the first time since 1999, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office saw a decrease in crime in 2007. In the first three months of 2008, that drop in crime continued. But since April, crime numbers have started to creep back up in the county, according to Manatee Sheriff Brad Steube. It is mostly crimes of opportunity such as vehicle burglaries that are driving an increase in crime, which Steube attributes to tough economic times. “I think some people are becoming desperate because of an economic downturn and are in need of money,” Steube said. “I don’t see that changing anytime soon.” In 2007, crime in Manatee dropped 3.8 percent from 2006. The sheriff’s office had a 4.7 percent decrease from 2006 to 2007, while the Bradenton Police Department also saw a decrease of 1.4 percent, a drop for the fifth straight year in the city. Steube said the dismantling of three local street gangs in 2007 contributed the most to the drop in crime numbers in the county. Bradenton Police Chief Michael Radzilowski attributed the drop in crime over five years to partnerships with community and aggressive traffic enforcement, not only of vehicles, but bicycles and pedestrian traffic. “We have made it a point to be very aggressive when it comes to traffic enforcement because it is proven to reduce crime,” Radzilowski said. But Radzilowski echoed Steube’s fear of an increase in crime. “We are really fighting the possibility of an increase. It is so difficult with the economy right now,” said Radzilowski. “We just arrested a burglar and he told us he knew it was wrong, but he had lost his job and really needed money.” Criminals are the not the only ones feeling the economic pinch. Both Radzilowski and Steube have been forced to look for places to cut during a lean budget year. The sheriff’s office has frozen deputies pay, with no raises slated for the coming year, and the police department has announced some administrative jobs with be eliminated by June 2009. Steube also cut funding for nine open positions with the sheriff’s office. Both Steube and Radzilowski have pledged they will not make cuts of deputies and officers on road patrol. “I have always said that I won’t take officers off the street,” said Radzilowski. “That we will cut administrative positions before that.” Overall, Radzilowski said law enforcement in Manatee has done well to cut crime using the resources available. “I think the numbers show that what we are doing has had an impact,” Radzilowski said. “We are going to continue to fight crime the best we can.”
CRIME REPORT
The latest available official statistics show from 2006 to 2007, crime dropped in Manatee County by 3.8 percent. The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, as well as police departments in Palmetto, Bradenton, Bradenton Beach, and Longboat Key all had crime reductions.
Q. How do I report a crime? Call 911 if you are reporting an emergency or crime in progress, a violent crime, burglary or break-in. Call the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office at 747-3011, the Bradenton Police Department at 932-9300, or Palmetto Police Department at 721-2000, if you are reporting a non-emergency.
Q. What type of crime has the area seen increase the most? Robberies rose 7.7 percent from 2006 to 2007 in Manatee County. There were 22 murders in Manatee in 2007, up from 20 in 2006. There were also 113 rapes reported in 2007, up from 108 in 2006. Aggravated assaults decreased in the county 6.1 percent, as well as a 3.3 percent decrease in thefts.
Q. How can I search for possible sexual predators or career criminal offenders in my area? To search for sexual predators and other sexual offenders, visit the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Web site at www.fdle.state.fl.us and click on the sex offender database on the right side of the page. For information about people in prison, on parole or probation or other state supervision, visit the Florida Department of Corrections Web site at www. dc.state.fl..us and click offender search.
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