The state police has released its end-of-the-year Uniform Crime Report for the 2014 year, and compared to 2013, the crime rate is down in Haddonfield.
Haddonfield had a 5.6 percent decrease in crime from 2013 to 2014. Last year, there were 185 total crimes compared to 196 in 2013.
According to Haddonfield Police Chief Ted Stuessy, all crimes are cyclical; there is always ebbing and flowing. He said it is hard to compare year to year, so Haddonfield usually looks at larger periods of times, such as five years, to see more of a trend.
“The changes that do happen are caused by numerous factors, and it is hard to say what is the cause,” Stuessy said.
However, he did say he was happy to hear that crime rates are down, though in Haddonfield they are traditionally low.
“I like to hope that the officers are being attentive and would like to attribute that to the officers. Hopefully, that has had some impact,” Stuessy said.
The Haddonfield Police Department underwent an overhaul recently, getting new officers and auxiliary officers. It has also taken to more patrolling of neighborhoods and being aware of what is going on, instituting community policing rather than just traffic. Also, a newer addition to the department is an eTicketing system that will make ticketing more efficient.
However, Stuessy said these factors don’t have anything to do with the change in crime rate.
The only increase in the crime report was the number of simple assaults. In 2013, there were 14 compared to 27 in 2014. As before, Stuessy said it is hard to say why that increased.
In 2015, the police department hopes to continue what it is doing. Stuessy said it will continue having a heavy officer presence throughout town, in neighborhoods as well as in the business sections. It will also continue using the auxiliary police for larger town-wide events.
“We want to maintain an overall high visibility in the borough and use proactive presence to reduce criminal activities,” Stuessy said.
As for changes, the department will continue to keep up with any developing technology and will be looking into adding in-car cameras, per state mandate.
Stuessy wanted to remind residents to always be mindful of their environment and be sure to lock car doors. If anyone sees any suspicious activities, be sure to report it. The department can be reached by calling 429–3000. For emergencies, be sure to call 911.
To see the full Uniform Crime report, visit www.njsp.org/info/ stats.html and click on Current Crime Data.
