Residents of Chesterton were generally safer in 2009, their property more secure, and their neighborhoods better places to live.

That’s the arguable conclusion from the Chesterton Police Department’s annual report, released on Wednesday.

Begin with the rawest of numbers: overall calls for service. In 2009 the CPD responded to 11,358 calls, compared to 13,639 in 2008, a whopping drop of 17 percent.

That decline in calls for service—calls, that is, from residents reporting a crime or possible crime or otherwise making a complaint—is reflected in virtually all enforcement categories:

•Citations: 878, compared to 1,226 in 2008, a decrease of 28 percent.

•Warnings: 1,766, compared to 2,112 in 2008, a decrease of 16 percent.

•Filed cases: 985, compared 1,232 in 2008, a decrease in 20 percent.

•Misdemeanor charges: 281, compared to 434 in 2008, a decrease of 35 percent.

•Felony charges: 107, compared to 95 in 2008, an increase of 13 percent.

•Traffic stops: 1,862, compared to 2,411 in 2008, a decrease of 23 percent.

•Warrants served: 39, compared to 44 in 2008, a decrease of 11 percent.

Enforcement was down last year, in short, apparently because there was less to enforce. Thus only 145 adult cases crossed the desk of the Investigations Division in 2009, compared to 209 in 2008, a drop of 31 percent; while only 254 juvenile cases crossed its desk, compared to 302 in 2008, a drop of 16 percent.

“A lot of times you hear the argument that in a bad economy there’s an increase in crime,” Police Chief George Nelson said. “But that hasn’t been the case in Chesterton. Just the opposite. Crimes against property fell last year almost across the board and one reason is because our officers have been out on the streets, patrolling, being vigilant. Bad guys don’t do crimes when they see a cop. They go somewhere else.”

Meanwhile, roadways were on the whole safer in 2009 with only 407 accidents, compared to 450 in 2008, a decrease of 10 percent. Those fewer accidents were responsible for more injuries: 94, compared to 75 in 2008, an increase of 20 percent. But no one died in traffic accident last year, compared to one fatality in 2008.

Reports of crimes against property similarly fell last year, in some cases dramatically.

•Thefts: 253, compared to 362 in 2008, a decrease of 30 percent.

•Motor vehicle thefts: eight, compared to 13 in 2008, a decrease of 38 percent.

•Cases of shoplifting: 18, compared to 23 in 2008, a decrease of 22 percent.

•Burglaries: 41, compared to 56 in 2008, a decrease of 37 percent.

One category of crime against property did register an uptick: fraud. In 2008 the CPD responded to 115 reports of fraud, compared to 104 in 2008, an increase of 11 percent.

Reports of crimes against persons were split. Reports of battery plummeted to 28, compared to 42 in 2008, a drop of 33 percent. Domestic calls, on the other hand, remained almost unchanged with 115, compared to 111 in 2008, an uptick of 4 percent.

Perhaps the most welcome trend is a marked decline in most quality-of-life complaints:

•Animal complaints: 187, compared to 234 in 2008, a decrease of 20 percent.

•Noise complaints: 99, compared to 90 in 2008, an increase of 10 percent.

•Fireworks complaints: 41, compared to 34 in 2008, an increase of 21 percent.

•Train complaints: 35, compared to 66 in 2008, a decrease of 47 percent.

•Cases of vandalism: 203, compared to 226 in 2008, a decrease of 10 percent.

•Peddler complaints: 27, compared to 35 to 2008, a decrease of 23 percent.

•Miscellaneous juvenile complaints: 310, compared to 427 in 2008, a decrease of 27 percent.

•Parking violations: 113, compared to 190 in 2008, a decrease of 41 percent.

•Disturbances: 278, compared to 296 in 2008, a decrease of 5 percent.

There are no comparable data available for 2008, but in 2009 the CPD Directed Patrol Officer investigated and enforced 24 citizen complaints: most of them traffic violations throughout town.

That activity led to 212 citations, 485 written warnings, and 21 misdemeanor charges.

On the other hand, three categories of citizen vigilance showed mixed trends:

•Suspicious circumstances reported: 536, compared to 439 in 2008, an increase of 22 percent:

•Suspicious persons: 214, compared to 240 in 2008, a decrease of 11 percent.

•Suspicious vehicles: 286, compared to 335 in 2008, a decrease of 15 percent.

Posted 1/15/2010