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Jeffco Sees 25 Percent Drop in Third Quarter Crime over 5 years
Crime in Jefferson County has declined more than 25 percent when comparing third quarter statistics from 2005 to 2009, according to the Sheriff Ted Mink's Third Quarter Report to Commissioners.
 In the third quarter of 2009, the Sheriff's Office recorded 2,156 crimes, compared to 2,901 in the third quarter of 2005. One of the categories with the biggest drop in crime was motor vehicle theft, which declined 60 percent in the third quarters from 2005 to 2009. One of the few categories to see an increase from 2005 to 2009 was family offenses, including child abuse and violation of restraining orders, which increased nearly 45 percent.
The Sheriff's Office also wrote nearly 28 percent more traffic tickets in the third quarter of 2009 compared to the third quarter of 2008. Sixty-eight percent of those tickets were written in high-accident areas where the Sheriff's Office's primary goal is to reduce unsafe driving.
Other highlights of Sheriff Mink's report include:
- Strip-mall burglaries solved. Deputies arrested two men who have been linked to one auto theft and six burglaries in Jefferson County, including a pattern of strip-mall burglaries along the Bowles corridor in August, and several burglaries in Denver.
- Horses find happier homes. Animal Control put 16 horses and one donkey up for adoption in August after they were seized from their original owner in May as part of an animal cruelty investigation. Officers assessed all new owners through applications, interviews and site visits. To date, nearly all of the animals have been adopted.
- West Metro Drug Task Force halts marijuana garden on federal land. On July 9, task force members and deputies spent nearly 24 hours on Sugarloaf Mountain in the Pike National Forest, after a rancher discovered a marijuana field there. The "grow" totaled more than 5,100 plants weighing nearly 2,000 pounds with a street value of $2.5 million. In all, four outdoor marijuana grows were found in unincorporated Jefferson County this summer.
- Concealed weapon permit applications increase. The Sheriff's Office has received 3,472 applications in the first nine months of 2009 - 5 percent more than it did in all of 2008. At the end of the third quarter, 8,083 permits were active, with 439 applications pending.
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County adopts revised travel and driving policiesCommissioners adopted a revised internal Travel Policy and Driving on County Business Policy that will reduce administration costs and improve efficiency.  As part of the revisions, Jefferson County joins the State Travel Management Program, which allows the county to take advantage of the state's negotiated rates for air fare, lodging and car rentals. The county also will issue travelers a per diem rather than require travelers to submit receipts for reimbursement as employees do now. The per diem rate will be based on federal and state rates. Elected officials will still be required to submit receipts for reimbursement. Staff told Commissioners that the changes will reduce administrative costs of tracking receipts, create equity among travelers and allow staff to budget appropriately for travel expenses. The changes take effect immediately. |
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Other BCC Actions
BCC Approves Contract to Remodel Dakota Building
The Dakota Building, home to the Coroner's Office and Sheriff's IT office on the Jefferson County campus, will receive a $197,000 interior remodel. Commissioners approved a contract with MW Golden Constructors, of Castle Rock. Work includes reconfiguring work areas for more efficiency and upgrading the cooling system to safeguard the Sheriff's IT and computer room.
Laramie Building to Receive New Cubicles for IT Services
 The county will pay nearly $161,800 to BC Interiors, of Boulder, to provide and install 35 cubicles and an office at the Laramie Building on the Jefferson County campus. The new furniture will accommodate some IT staff members after they move from the Courts and Administration Building to the Laramie Building in early 2010. The purchase is part of the master purchasing agreement that the county has with Kimball International. BC Interiors is a designated Kimball reseller. |
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