Decrease in majority of crimes, report says

Tiffany Tuell

(Updated: Thursday, February 25, 2010, 1:25 PM)

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The majority of crimes have either decreased or stayed the same in Madera County during 2009 compared to 2008, according to the State of the Sheriff's Department report released last week. However, the number of forcible rapes has increased 37% from 12 in 2008 to 19 in 2009.

About 60% of crimes occurred in the valley of Madera County, said Madera County Sheriff John Anderson, while the balance occurred in the Mountain Area.

"We still maintain one of the lowest crime rates in the state," the report states.

Commercial and residential burglary countywide were both down in 2009. There were 135 commercial burglaries in 2008 and 127 in 2009. Residential burglaries dropped from 322 to 269.

Assaults dropped from 525 to 437 and larceny theft dropped from 850 to 682.

A number of thefts occurred recently in the Oakhurst area including a shoplifting incident that led to the arrest of a wanted felon, two incidents of purse snatching and almost $3,000 worth of audio equipment stolen from Calvin Crest Conferences.

"In a small town you think you are secure but it's changing now," said Arvinder Gill, owner of Day N Nite Market on Highway 41.

Sheriff deputies were called to the market recently when employee Daniel Gonzales reported an armed robbery. Gonzales reported that after closing shop for the night, he walked out back to his car, and went to open his car door when a man jumped out and pointed a gun at him.

"It's not safe anymore, I was never scared before," Gill said.

Even with these recent crimes, Anderson said progress against crime has been steady.

"We keep going down even with the effect that the economy is going down," he said.

Fighting crime will face its challenges this year with budget cuts. When the Madera County Board of Supervisors passed the 2009/2010 budget, one clerical and 12 deputy sheriff positions were not funded and thus eliminated.

"We're just going to try to survive with this resource reduction mode and the economy the way it is," Anderson said. "We've been prohibited from hiring additional deputies."

Anderson said his department, regardless of the reduction in deputies, has continued to provide the same level of service as they have in the past. To reduce costs, some counties are not sending deputies to calls that are not life threatening but instead are inputting reports online only.

Anderson said Madera County will not adopt this new procedure.

"We have resisted proposals to switch to online reporting of minor crimes as many other departments have done," Anderson said at a town hall meeting in North Fork last week. "It is our belief that citizens are paying for and expect police protection rather than merely providing a reporting service."

The year also proved to be one of the most successful for marijuana eradication. The sheriff's department worked with Campaign Against Marijuana Planting, Madera Narcotics Enforcement Team, the U.S. Forest Service and Yosemite National Park to eradicate 131,217 plants, primarily in Eastern Madera County, with a street value of $328 million.

The report also stated that Bass Lake Operation experienced a successful year. The operation is a contract between the Bass Lake Homeowner's Association, Pacific Gas & Electric and the U.S. Forest Service with the sheriff's department. To fund the program, the operation collects environmental use fees for boat operations and safety patrol on Bass Lake. Deputies then patrol the lake. Last year there were three boating accidents and in 2008 there were only two. There were 13 citations compared to 2008's 10. These numbers reflect a big difference from 2007 -- 84 citations and seven boating accidents.

"The accomplishments are the direct result of the hard work, dedication and professionalism of the employees of the sheriff's department," Anderson said.

Madera County crime statistics 2008: