The Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday that the number of home invasions in Washtenaw County has dropped by more than 15 percent in comparison to 2009.
Sheriff Jerry Clayton said in a statement the effects of burglaries are long lasting to victims.
“When a burglar breaks into your home, they often take more than just your belongings,” he said. “The lost sense of security or recurring fear can be just as damaging as the smashed window or stolen property.”
“Criminals that break into homes are opportunistic and habitual,” Clayton said. “Meaning, they will continue to break into homes until they are captured.”
According to the sheriff, his office has implemented “proactive measures” to capture criminals, and the latest statistics are proof of the work his deputies have done thus far.
Derrick Jackson, the director of community engagement for the sheriff’s office, said advancement in technology has opened the doors for better communication between residents and the sheriff’s office.
“Technology such as our E-mail Alert System and Facebook has helped build a network of more than 7,000 residents who are aware of the crimes around them can be quickly notified when a crime is committed, and who are on the look out for these criminals,” Jackson said.
Samuel Parmann, a resident, hasn’t always been happy with the sheriff’s office, but he’s seen improvement.
“A lot of us [residents] have been advocating for more communication,” Parmann said. “I’ve never had much crime in my area, but me and my neighbors would still like to know what’s going on everywhere. We felt out of the loop. It’s gotten a lot better, but I still would like to have some town meetings about crime or more residents volunteering for some type of safety patrols.”
Clayton said another contributing factor to the decrease in home invasions involves his staff and residents working closely together.
“Crime is not only a police problem, it is a community problem,” he said. “Time after time residents have stepped up as have our deputies to capture these criminals, return valuable belongings and bring some piece of mind to our neighbors.”
Commander Dieter Heren said the sheriff’s office will continue striving to make Washtenaw County safer for its residents.
“They are making more arrests and getting repeat offenders off of the street so that fewer homes are broken into overall,” Heren said.
Sherrilyn Fischer, a resident in Washtenaw County, has lived on the same block for more than 25 years. She said she’s seen the safety decline in her area in recent years, but she’s beginning to feel comfortable again.
“I’ve thought about leaving the area because of the spike in crime, but this has been my family’s home for many years,” she said. “I’m just relieved the numbers are starting to drop and they’re working on making things safe for us again.”
