KANNAPOLIS ó The city has maintained a crime rate 50 percent below the state average for comparable cities, the Kannapolis Police Department reported in releasing its 2008 annual report this morning.
The report details the department’s activities from July 1, 2007, through June 30, including its “green initiative” and “exploration of new technologies to improve service,” according to a press release.
“We continue to maintain a very low crime rate compared to our peers, something we are very proud of,” Police Chief Woody Chavis said in the press release. “More importantly, we have continued to explore new initiatives that allow us the ability to adapt to the rapid growth and changes our city is experiencing. We are dedicated to providing all of our citizens with a safe place to live, work and play.”
With a fiscal year 2008 budget of $7,276,219, the Police Department maintained the lowest per capita cost in the region of $176 per citizen, according to the report. The department provides service for more than 40,000 people.
Altogether, the city recorded 1,446 crimes ó 163 violent crimes and 1,283 property crimes.
According to the report:
– The department’s green initiative has already begun with the reinstitution of officer bicycle patrols and the acquisition of two T3 electric personal mobility vehicles, which were purchased with grant funding.
These initiatives will not only conserve energy, but improve police interaction with the citizens, as well.
– The City Council approved for the current fiscal year (2009) the purchase of new state-of-the-art software for mobile computers, computer-aided dispatch and records management systems, enabling the Police Department to more efficiently handle citizens’ calls, improve response times and free officers to spend more time “in the field deterring criminal activity.”
The Police Department provides 24-hour patrol, 911 communications, criminal investigations, traffic safety, crime prevention, high school and middle school resource officers and DARE (Drug and Alcohol Resistance Efforts) officers, among other programs to meet the needs of the community, the report said.