Crime rates dip during 3rd Quarter, police report

Coronavirus pandemic has affected local crime rates

Major crimes in Woodland dipped during the third quarter as the coronavirus pandemic continues, the Police Department is reporting.

Police statistics show that assaults, burglaries and larcenies and thefts along with arsons were the top crimes during July, August and September, with an increase in rapes, vehicle thefts, aggravated assaults, but a drop in arsons, robberies, burglaries, and simple assaults.

The report was released by the Police Department to the City Council. In the previous 2nd Quarter, which covered March, April and May, there were more robberies ( 16) compared to the months covering January, February, and March ( eight).

March was when the coronavirus pandemic started sweeping the nation and Yolo County.

The department’s July through September numbers showed there were 530 major crimes, compared to 580 the previous three months.

Major crimes are considered to be homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assaults, simple assaults, burglary, larceny/ thefts, motor vehicle theft, and arson.

There were no murders committed during the third quarter. Thus far this year, there has been only one murder, that of Isaac Carlos Morales, who was shot and killed in the 100 block of College Street on Jan. 9.

The report notes that during July, August and September there were 638 adult arrests made, compared to 657 the previous three months with 33.39% said to be transients, compared to 31.5% the previous three months.

From July through to September, there were 66 sworn officers who saw no homicides; 5 rapes, 10 robberies, 48 aggravated assaults, 97 simple assaults, compared to 121 simple assaults the previous three months; 34 burglaries compared to 70 the prior three months; 269 larcenies and thefts compared to 275 three months earlier; 61 motor vehicle thefts compared to 45 the previous three months; and six cases of arson compared to 12 three months earlier.

As for the Homeless Outreach Street Team, which works to reduce the number of homeless individuals and campsites in the city, police reported, the coronavirus pandemic has proven problematic for those homeless. HOST reported the Project Roomkey saw 53 individuals leave in June, however, due to an increase in COVID19 cases and outbreak at the local shelter, the city and county extended the project to include a quarantine site and lease 27 rooms at Valley Oak Hotel. However, there were 10 people who were moved into permanent housing.

HOST has also established a temporary agreement with the city’s Community Services Department to assist with camp clean- ups one day a week to reduce the number of camps being re- inhabited by others who are homeless.

Due to COVID- 19 restrictions, police reported, HOST has also been struggling in collaborating with CalTrans for cleanups along Interstate5. The Yolo County work Project has not been running due to coronavirus restrictions, which has reduced the ability to get enough people out to remove debris, although Yolo County Probation staff have tried to assist when possible.

Finally, HOST staff have worked with the Yolo County Mental Health Department to get help for those needing it. As a result, there have been three people who received mental health care, which also resulted in long- term housing. And HOST also assisted an elderly woman who was struggling with landscaping that as allowing transients to sleep alongside her home.

Overall, HOST made 1,078 contacts during the quarter, compared to 858 the previous three months; found 367 camps compared to 250 the previous quarter, cleaned up 165 camps vs. 97 camps three months earlier, offered services to 464 people with 35 accepting compared to 342 individuals the previous three months with 34 people accepting services. There were also 71 people arrested the last three months, vs. 39 who were arrested three months earlier.

Regarding the number of arrests and probation violation arrests, Mayor Richard Lansburgh asked Police Chief Derrek Kaff during Tuesday’s council meeting whether the “consistent” number of transients were people who made Woodland their home or were “clearly transitory and are from other jurisdictions?”

Kaff didn’t have an immediate answer but said he could find out and include that in future reports.

Other highlights from the report included:

Response times: There were 246 “priority 1” responses, which was identical to the 246 responses the previous three months; 3,479 “priority 2” responses, compared to 3,456 in April, May and June; 771 “priority 3” responses vs. 692 the previous three months; and 12,772 other calls for service vs. 11,926 the previous three months. When all calls were added up, there were 17,229 calls for service compared to 16,320 calls the prior three months.

Investigations Bureau: The Investigations Bureau conducts follow- up criminal investigations on all felony and select misdemeanor crimes reported to the Police Department. Typically, a uniformed police officer responds to a call for service and prepares a police report which may require follow- up investigation. A police investigator is then assigned to conduct the follow- up, often requiring many hours of investigation before an arrest is made or a case is closed.

In terms of specifics, there were 866 active investigations, 90 cleared cases; 70 new cases, 406 child abuse cases, 160 violent felony cases, 162 elder abuse cases, 97 property crimes, and eight missing person cases.