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http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2010/0...30268793520.txt

Police chief: Crime in 2009 down 6% over 2008

Deborah Sederberg/The News-Dispatch Michigan City Police Chief Ben Neitzel relates 2009 crime statistics at a Michigan City Common Council meeting Tuesday night.
Neitzel: Most exciting statistic is zero homicides
By Deborah Sederberg
Staff Writer
Published: Wednesday, February 3, 2010 4:16 AM CST
MICHIGAN CITY — The chief of police and two of his deputy chiefs all attended Tuesday’s meeting of the Michigan City Common Council.

But they weren’t expecting trouble.

On the contrary, they were there to deliver good news about crime statistics for 2009.

Crime overall dropped by 6 percent over 2008 figures, Chief Ben Neitzel told the council.

“The most exciting statistic for me is the homicide number,” he added. “In 2009 we had zero homicides. I have not seen an annual report with zero homicides in the 32 years I have been with the Michigan City Police Department.”

The average for the city is three, he said, but in 2008 the city saw four homicides.

Burglary rose in 2009 (365 versus 317 in 2008 total). But in the third quarter, police recognized rising numbers and officers were challenged to pay special attention to the issue. “As a result of their focus, burglaries in the fourth quarter were below the 2008 number,” Neitzel said. What’s more, police made 20 arrests for burglary in the fourth quarter. In all of the first three quarters of the year, 24 burglary arrests were made.

Rape was up in 2009, with 11 in 2009 and eight in 2008.

Battery, robbery, theft and vehicle theft all were down last year.

Crime overall was down, with 2,302 crimes investigated in 2009 and 2,443 for 2008.

Neitzel went back 22 years with crime statistics and figured averages. The total crime average was 3,298. The high mark, in 1992, was 4,110.

“This is my last annual report before you,” Neitzel told the council. He will retire on July 30.