MONROE - The Green County Sheriff's Office published its 2016 annual report Tuesday, revealing continuing downward trends for crime and crime reporting in the county.
Among the several points revealed in the 22-page report was the continuation of a five-year downward trend in the reporting of violent and property-type crime in the county. In 2016, 93 violent or property-type crimes were reported, less than the 142 reported in 2015.
"Obviously we can only go by what's reported," Green County Sheriff Mark Rohloff said. "We don't get 100 percent of any crime; some crimes get handled by families; sometimes thefts at businesses are handled internally."
However, Rohloff said the downward trend in crime reporting generally indicates a corresponding trend in the number of crimes.
Similarly, the number of calls made to Green County dispatchers fell from 16,175 in 2015 to 13,243 in 2016.
"It doesn't really mean anything like we're losing business," Rohloff said. "When there's a downward trend in activity, those are times to invest internally."
However, Rohloff noted that, in his experience, crime reporting and activity trends fluctuate on a five-to-seven-year pendulum and may rise again in the future. As an example, the average daily population of the Green County Jail was 33 in 2016, the lowest in five years. However, midway through 2017, the average jail population is 44, higher than both 2016 and 2015's averages.
As the jail's maximum capacity is 54 inmates, Rohloff said a number of factors such as the use of electronic monitoring have kept the population manageable recently. Despite this year's increase in the prison population, Rohloff said he hopes that the recent creation of the Green County's drug court program will provide additional alternatives to on-site incarceration.
"I'm looking at a period of decent prosperity," Rohloff said.
Rohloff said that, based on the barometers of unemployment and home foreclosures, the economic health of the community is very good. According to the report, 21 sheriff sales - public auctions of foreclosed or abandoned properties - were held in 2016, the lowest in 10 years and nearly one-tenth of the 196 held in 2010.
"In 2009 and 2010, when we had so many sheriff sales, it was terrible," Rohloff said. "So I'm pleased to see that the numbers are so manageable now."
The report also contained a list of the variety and frequency of case elements encountered in 2016. The most commonly encountered elements included speeding, welfare checks, suspicious vehicle or person reports, deer collisions and driving without proof of vehicle insurance.
In addition, the report determined that calls to the Sheriff's Office are at their highest on Fridays and Saturdays from 4 to 8 p.m., which Rohloff said allows him to know when to have more staff on hand.
Rohloff said he has no plans to expand the department's staff at present, save for a recently hired dispatcher. Rohloff said that, because the department's Dispatch Center is "the nexus for the whole thing," he will prioritize its effectiveness for the time being.
Despite the general optimistic trends outlined in his report, however, Rohloff expressed a note of cynicism.
"When things are going this well, I start waiting for the other boot to drop," he said.
Among the several points revealed in the 22-page report was the continuation of a five-year downward trend in the reporting of violent and property-type crime in the county. In 2016, 93 violent or property-type crimes were reported, less than the 142 reported in 2015.
"Obviously we can only go by what's reported," Green County Sheriff Mark Rohloff said. "We don't get 100 percent of any crime; some crimes get handled by families; sometimes thefts at businesses are handled internally."
However, Rohloff said the downward trend in crime reporting generally indicates a corresponding trend in the number of crimes.
Similarly, the number of calls made to Green County dispatchers fell from 16,175 in 2015 to 13,243 in 2016.
"It doesn't really mean anything like we're losing business," Rohloff said. "When there's a downward trend in activity, those are times to invest internally."
However, Rohloff noted that, in his experience, crime reporting and activity trends fluctuate on a five-to-seven-year pendulum and may rise again in the future. As an example, the average daily population of the Green County Jail was 33 in 2016, the lowest in five years. However, midway through 2017, the average jail population is 44, higher than both 2016 and 2015's averages.
As the jail's maximum capacity is 54 inmates, Rohloff said a number of factors such as the use of electronic monitoring have kept the population manageable recently. Despite this year's increase in the prison population, Rohloff said he hopes that the recent creation of the Green County's drug court program will provide additional alternatives to on-site incarceration.
"I'm looking at a period of decent prosperity," Rohloff said.
Rohloff said that, based on the barometers of unemployment and home foreclosures, the economic health of the community is very good. According to the report, 21 sheriff sales - public auctions of foreclosed or abandoned properties - were held in 2016, the lowest in 10 years and nearly one-tenth of the 196 held in 2010.
"In 2009 and 2010, when we had so many sheriff sales, it was terrible," Rohloff said. "So I'm pleased to see that the numbers are so manageable now."
The report also contained a list of the variety and frequency of case elements encountered in 2016. The most commonly encountered elements included speeding, welfare checks, suspicious vehicle or person reports, deer collisions and driving without proof of vehicle insurance.
In addition, the report determined that calls to the Sheriff's Office are at their highest on Fridays and Saturdays from 4 to 8 p.m., which Rohloff said allows him to know when to have more staff on hand.
Rohloff said he has no plans to expand the department's staff at present, save for a recently hired dispatcher. Rohloff said that, because the department's Dispatch Center is "the nexus for the whole thing," he will prioritize its effectiveness for the time being.
Despite the general optimistic trends outlined in his report, however, Rohloff expressed a note of cynicism.
"When things are going this well, I start waiting for the other boot to drop," he said.