YOUNGSTOWN POLICE 2000 report: Crime held steady

One property loss in 2000 hasn't shown up in years: livestock worth $10,000.
By PATRICIA MEADE
VINDICATOR CRIME REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- In 2000, thieves stole more cash, clothes and furs, but fewer TVs, guns and cars than the year before.
Overall, city crime stayed about the same when compared with 1999.
Police Chief Richard Lewis said his department's annual report tells him of the need to continue the focus on quality-of-life issues, such as burglaries.
While burglaries and aggravated assaults, as well as arsons, increased in 2000, auto theft dropped a dramatic 23 percent.
The bulk of the calls for police service -- 34,796 out of 98,332 -- came from the south-central part of the city, bordered by the Mahoning River, South and Glenwood avenues and Midlothian Boulevard. Neighborhoods in this area generate complaints about prostitution, drug and gang activity and loud music.
Crime prevention: The Weed & amp; Seed program, which targets certain South Side neighborhoods with saturation patrols, the bike unit, Cops in Shops and speed enforcement on Interstate 680 will all result in crime prevention, the chief said. He believes that the success of those programs will be reflected when the numbers for 2001 come out.
Early-morning speeders on 680 are now under the watchful eye of Detective Sgt. Douglas Bobovnyik, who uses radar to measure the speed, then two or three "chase cars" to stop the drivers. The new program catches commuters who drive through Youngstown -- many at 75 or 80 mph.
Last year, police issued 7,152 traffic violations in all categories. Of those, 1,313 were for driving under suspension, which Municipal Judge Elizabeth A. Kobly has called the No. 1 crime in the city.
"All things considered, we're doing a good job," Lewis said. "Nationally, homicides went down; in some major cities they went up. If you take a look at the record high here of 68, it's reduced by better than half."
The city recorded 32 homicides in 2000, with half on the South Side. In 1999, the city recorded 30 killings. The record year was 1995.
Trouble spot: Not surprising, parts of the South Side that experience criminal activity have 19 block watches with more than 800 members.
One member of the SID block watch, Jamie Ludt, who lives east of Market Street near Taft Elementary School, said that he'd like to see police do more undercover patrols. He believes such action would curb some of the gang and drug activity.
Vice squad officers, who often work undercover, made 2,380 arrests last year that ranged from drugs and guns to sex and gambling offenses. They often partner with Adult Parole Authority agents who check on their parolees, many of whom live on the South Side.
Juvenile arrests down: In another category, juvenile crime, statistics for 2000 show that arrests dropped significantly, from 1,065 in 1999 to 721 last year, Lewis said.
He credits a juvenile diversion program and a cooperative effort between his department and Ted Terlesky, Youngstown schools security chief. YPD officers can be found in and around the schools every day.
In 2000, the K-9 Unit added Rico, a Belgian Malinois, handled by Patrolman Steve Schiffhauer. Detective Sgt. Scott White and Bar, a German shepherd from the Czech Republic, have been together since 1997.
The dogs take part in everything from fugitive arrests to sniffing lockers at schools.
Lewis said another dog will be added to the unit this year.
Personnel: The city hired 27 officers last year, which gave the department 215 total. Through hirings and attrition this year, the department has 217 officers to protect a population of 82,026 spread out over 34 square miles.
The YPD annual report for 2000 revealed one property loss category that hasn't shown up in years: livestock, $10,000. Lewis said the case involved a saddle bred mare on the East Side that was apparently hidden for a time by a trainer who wanted to make sure he got paid.
"The detective on the case tells me the horse was recovered," the chief said.
The annual report is dedicated to the "Survivors Club," a group of 30 officers and three clerks who had at least 25 years' service by Dec. 31, 2000.
meade@vindy.com