Even as the murder rate has shot off the charts, other violent and property crimes are going down and arrests are up, V.I. Police Department officials said at budget hearings in Frederiksted Thursday.
Homicides are up from 31 at this point in 2009, to 40 so far this year, said Police Commissioner Novelle Francis. "When we analyze the victims and locations of these homicides, we find that most are gang- and/or turf-related and retaliatory in nature," he said.
Meanwhile, reports of rape are down from 53 at this point in 2009 to 40 in 2010; robbery is down from 234 to 184; as well as burglary (1,211 to 944), vehicle theft (173 to 162), grand larceny (935 to 908) and arson (70 to 51), according to Francis.
Homicide arrests increased from 23 in 2009 to 37 in 2010, he said. Francis also reported that from October 2009 through May 30, police have taken 190 guns off the street through arrests and from residents turning them in.
The Police Department is proposing a fiscal 2011 budget of $61.8 million—a 7.1 percent decrease from 2010. The department is also asking for $850,000 from the Tourism Revolving Fund and $245,000 from miscellaneous appropriations for a total local budget appropriation of $62.8 million. According to the Legislature’s post audit report, the Police Department expects $5.8 million in federal funds, for a total available budget of $68.6 million.
Work continues on revamping evidence rooms in both districts, according to Francis. Each room costs roughly$400,000 and both are projected to be complete by the end of the next calendar year.
The department is under a federal consent decree to improve training and take measures to better track and regulate use of force by officers. Thus far in fiscal 2010, the Police Department has spent nearly $565,000 on risk-management and incident-tracking software and other work toward compliance, Francis said.
Patrick Sweeney Police Headquarters on St. Croix has been largely closed due to mold problems since May of 2008. The mold cannot be addressed until the structural integrity of the building is certified, Francis said. Tests and plans for the mold remediation have been ordered, he said.
Sen. Sammuel Sanes asked if the cost of renovating Sweeney was worth the expense, or if a new building would be more cost effective.
"They are doing a structural assessment to make that determination," Francis said.
Two police substations in the La Vallee and Cotton Valley areas of St. Croix are in the planning stages and are expected to cost roughly $400,000 for both, Francis said.
No votes were taken at the information-gathering hearing. Present were Sens. Craig Barshinger, Carlton "Ital" Dowe, Terrence "Positive" Nelson, Sammuel Sanes, Patrick Sprauve and Michael Thurland.
