Antioch Crime Rate Increases

Paul Burgarino of the Contra Costa Times had a nice recap this morning about the increase in Antioch crime. His article is reporting that crime is up for the first six months of 2012 compared to the same period last year while but the number of arrests are down.

At the council meeting last night, Chief Allan Cantando explained to the council that the Police Department is down 34-officers and also lacks non-sworn community service officers to handle duties such as booking, fingerprinting and holding people in jail. Other factors such as the early release of state prisoners and their subsequent return to East County communities.

According to Burgarino’s article:

• Property crimes increased from 1,556 for the first six months of 2011 to 2,487
• Violent crimes have increased by 45.6 percent, due primarily to aggravated assaults

The image below was taken off the Antioch Police Department website and shows full statistics.

Click image to enlarge statistics or clink here to go to Antioch PD website

The Antioch PD will host a Coffee with the Cops event this saturday (July 28) from 9-11 a.m. in the Community Room of the Antioch Police Department. Chief Cantando will discuss crime statistics from the first half of 2012, other public safety topics, and anything else that come up during this personal and casual event.

Here is their flyer on the event.

My thoughts on this are simple, until the Antioch Council gets serious about bringing back more officers and finding revenue, these numbers will continue to increase. While the neighborhood watch program has increased, which is a great thing, it still doesn’t mean people who are up to no good are arrested.  It’s time for the Antioch Council to stop delaying a solution and kicking this can down the road–find revenue!!!!

Whether it be a ballot initiative for the upcoming next June election to fund police or moving some funds around, a delay can no longer be tolerated by Antioch residents with the November election right around the corner.

With little or no progress occur between now and November, Antioch residents should use the election as a tool to create change favorable to the police department  and getting more police on the ground.

Unless this problem gets fixed, other cities in East County will get the carry over of problems because Antioch doesn’t have the tools to stop it’s crime.