by Michael Gaertner

Decatur South Safer Than Decatur North, Oakhurst Sees Decrease In Crime

Overall the south east and south west (Oakhurst is South West) sides of town have enjoyed a noticeable decrease in key crime categories of about 11% between 2002 and 2003. The northern sides witnessed a significant increase of twice that amount, according to data released by the City of Decatur Police Department. The two south sides now better the northern sides in overall crime totals.

The story of the south side's falling crime rate is told by a sharp reduction in entering-auto (60% reduction), robbery (50%), and burglary (20%) crimes. But if only Type I crimes are counted (murder, rape, robbery, assault, arson, burglary, and theft) then both sides of the tracks actually show an increase, though the south side's 5% increase is much smaller than the north side's 22% increase. The police department considers the Type I crimes plus battery and entering-auto as key categories that reflect the quality of life.

The city is divided into four patrol zones, split roughly evenly by College Avenue and Clairemont Ave./McDonough Streets. The southwest zone, of which Oakhurst makes up the bulk, saw an 8% reduction in these key categories. The southeast zone, which is primarily residential, saw the greatest reduction of 18%. The northwest side, which also historically has the greatest quantity of crime reports because of its inclusion of most of the downtown business district, increased its crime by 20%. The northeast zone increased the greatest by 24%.

Although Oakhurst has much reason to celebrate an overall drop in crime, it did see some increases in some categories. The number of southwest zone rapes increased from 2 to 5, and assaults edged up from 15 to 19. The police department reports that in most cases of rape and assault in the city, the victim knows the offender.

Thefts increased from 91 to 116. According to Assistant Chief Bill Clark "street level drug users commit most of the thefts and burglaries." If true then the increase in thefts coupled with the drop in burglaries would indicate little change in street drug activity, even though last spring the police department completed an under-cover sting operation which resulted in the arrest of over ten local drug-related criminals. But other factors can lead to an increase in thefts; for example, an overall rise in affluence of the neighborhood can attract criminals who would otherwise avoid the area.

Citizens play an important role in crime prevention. Simple steps such as keeping the outside of your house well lit, getting to know your neighbors, and reporting suspicious activity to the police can have a great impact in lowering crime. To help Oakhurst continue its fight against crime, join our Oakhurst Watch: Local Safety program by contacting Michael Gaertner at owls@oakhurstga.org.