05/02/2019

Coffee

Crime statistics in Noblesville have taken a substantial drop in the past three years. Statistics for the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) show a 34 percent reduction in Part I crimes from 2016 to 2018.

“Public safety is the No. 1 priority of our community,” said Mayor John Ditslear. “Despite our continued population increase, the city’s crime rates have dropped for three consecutive years. This is a testament to the tireless work of our police officers to ensure Noblesville is a safe city for our residents and guests.”

UCR is a nationwide, cooperative statistical effort of nearly 18,000 law enforcement agencies voluntarily reporting data on crimes brought to their attention. UCR Part I crimes consist of four violent and four property crimes.

In 2017, NPD responded to 851 reports of UCR Part I crimes. That number dropped to 649 reports in 2018, a difference of 202 incidents or a 23 percent reduction. When compared to 2016’s 983 crimes reported, the difference to 2018 drops by 34 percent.

“These are significant double digit drops in our crime rate. We knew this approach would work but these results were beyond our expectation,” said Noblesville Police Chief Kevin Jowitt. “I am unequivocally committed to the safety and protection of this community and these stats are evidence that our initiatives and efforts are producing results.”

Jowitt said the police department is encouraged to see that trend continue. Through March, Noblesville has had a total of 148 Part I crimes reported in 2019. Compared to the 153 reports in 2018, this is a 3.2 percent decrease in the past two first quarters. Jowitt attributes the success in part to Noblesville Police establishing Problem Oriented Policing (POP) and Crime Analysis units in 2016.

“With the addition of our POP and Crime Analysis units, along with the relentless work of our patrol and criminal investigations divisions, we are taking every step to ensure that Noblesville remains one of the safest cities in Indiana,” he said.

The overall success of crime reduction takes involvement from the entire community. In addition to the policing changes, the department continues to implement new outreach initiatives including Coffee with a Cop, neighborhood crime watch programs, Citizens Police Academy, National Night Out and expanding its social media presence. The patrol division’s District Policing Program divides the city into 16 districts and assigns officers to each district. Residents are encouraged to contact the officer assigned to their neighborhood whenever they have a question or concern.

“Everything we do is about building trust and relationships with people in the community,” said Jowitt. “This is a team effort and we want residents to call us and express their concerns.”

To learn more about NPD’s community initiatives, district policing map and officers, share traffic concerns or to submit a tip, visit www.cityofnoblesville.org/police.