Cedar Rapids Police Department
Monthly News and Information
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Welcome to the Official Monthly Newsletter of the Cedar Rapids Police Department. We appreciate the opportunity to serve you and continue to make Cedar Rapids a safe place to live, work, or visit.
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Community Engagement and News
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Thank you for the opportunity to connect with you through several activities and events over the past month. Here are highlights of a few of those events, along with some news and information.
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2019 Crime Statistics Released
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The Cedar Rapids Police Department has completed a preliminary analysis of crime statistics for calendar year 2019.
Since 2013, violent crime in Cedar Rapids is down 5.6 percent. There were 392 violent crimes in 2013 compared to 370 violent crimes in 2019.
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Part I Violent Crimes measured by the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) are Murder and Non-Negligent Manslaughter, Sex Offenses, Forcible Rapes, Robberies, and Aggravated Assaults.
Comparing the average number of violent crimes over the past 5 years, violent crime increased 2.49 percent in 2019. While robberies were down over 23 percent compared to the 5-year average, aggravated assaults increased over 17 percent and brought the number of violent crime incidents higher.
Domestic abuse incidents were the primary factor in the increase in aggravated assaults. There was a nearly 25 percent increase in domestic abuse aggravated assaults in 2019 compared to the past 5 calendar years average. Cedar Rapids had six murders with seven victims in 2019, which is equal to the five-year average.
Property crimes were down over 10 percent in 2019 compared to the rolling 5-year average. Of significance, burglaries were down over 8 percent compared to the average number of incidents over the past 5 years. The Police Department used several community outreach tools, including the
#9PM
Routine on social media to encourage residents to lock their doors. Theft of motor vehicles increased by 18 percent compared to previous averages, otherwise the property crime decrease could have been greater. The vast majority of these thefts are preventable. In many cases, the vehicle is left running unattended and unlocked in the driveway, on the street, or in front of a convenience store. Further, many vehicles stolen have the spare keys left in the vehicle. A lot of vehicles reported stolen are recovered in another part of the city and are located undamaged.
One area in which the Police Department has focused on this past year was theft from vehicles. The number of thefts from vehicle was down by nearly 15 percent compared to the 5-year average. There have been several social media campaigns and community outreach efforts to encourage citizens to lock their vehicle doors and not leave valuables in plain sight. Of particular concern with thefts from vehicle is that 24 of the 628 incidents involved a firearm stolen. There were a total of 26 handguns and 2 shotguns taken from inside vehicles, and most of the vehicles were not locked.
Comparing 2019 to 2018, there were 18 fewer shots fired incidents (99 incident in 2019 compared to 117 in 2018). Shots fired includes incidents in which a person was injured, property was damaged, shell casings were found, surveillance video evidence, or multiple witnesses corroborate. The numbers do not include suicides or accidental discharges.
Of all the shots fired incidents, there were 9 incidents (9.1 percent) where suspects were arrested for gun-related charges. The majority of shots fired incidents involve property damage or shell casings found, but no personal injury. Nevertheless, these incidents are taken seriously and one of the reasons that the Police Department’s Gun Reduction Initiative is critical. Patrol officers and Police Community Action Team members seized 96 illegally possessed firearms from individuals in 2019. In total, the Police Department took 175 guns, with 140 of those guns taken in criminal incidents. Further, it is important to note that the solvability of shots fired cases is often predicated by cooperation of witnesses.
Overall, the continued multiple year downward trend in violent crime is encouraging. And, the double-digit decrease in property crime in 2019 compared to the 5-year average is a positive trend. The Police Department will continue partnerships with other local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, as well as community organizations, committed to reducing crime and improving safety in our neighborhoods.
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Students & Police Officers Give Back to the Community
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Kennedy High School government students partnered in early December with the Cedar Rapids Police Protective Charity to help the homeless. Students buy the materials and make blankets so police officers can hand them out to homeless individuals. The Kennedy students have done this for several years in a row now, but this year they also purchased a large box of gloves for each squad car so officers can distribute gloves to those in need. This is another example of great kids in our community doing great things!
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Elfie & Charlie and the Grinch
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The Police Department's Community Outreach Division presented the "12 Days of Holiday Safety Tips courtesy of Elfie and Charlie" with important safety messages on the
Police Department's Facebook page
. Designed as a fun way to impart crime prevention messages, the campaign included information about preventing vehicle theft, identity theft, and other safety messages. The Division also produced a video that featured the Grinch trying to ruin the holidays in Cedar Rapids. Be sure to check out the video on the Cedar Rapids Police Department Facebook page.
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On December 19, the Cedar Rapids Police Volunteer Corps members partnered with
FiredUp for Single Moms
to adopt a family for Christmas. The Volunteer Corps members put on a dinner for the family. The children and their mother also had the chance to open gifts purchased by Volunteer Corps members. McGruff the Crime Dog even made a special appearance for the event!
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Joint Communications Agency staff was recognized for their outstanding service to the
Cedar Rapids Fire Department
at the Fire Department's Annual Recognition Ceremony on December 3. Firefighters responded to 13,325 calls in 2019. Cedar Rapids dispatchers are trained in both fire and emergency medical protocols in addition to their work serving law enforcement and animal control.
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The Police Department currently has 15 record technicians that process police reports and police officer narratives. They do a tremendous amount of work to make sure that reports are filed in a timely and accurate manner, and fulfill thousands of records requests. In November and December, staff collected food items and donated them to the
Mount Mercy University food bank.
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Children between ages 5-13 were at the Police Station on December 30 making crafts with police officers. Another event is scheduled for January 13, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. at the Police Station, 505 1st Street SW. Children participating will help make Valentines for veterans!
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Tips for Driving in the Snow
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December and January have been fairly mild so far, but winter will still likely give us a few challenges before it's over. In fact, it can be more dangerous on our area roadways since drivers haven't had to maneuver through snow as often. And, as this newsletter goes out today, there is a Winter Storm Warning.
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- Drive slowly. Always adjust your speed down to account for lower traction when driving on snow or ice.
- Accelerate and decelerate slowly. Apply the gas slowly to regain traction and avoid skids. Don’t try to get moving in a hurry and take time to slow down for a stoplight. Remember: It takes longer to slow down on icy roads.
- Increase your following distance to five to six seconds. This increased margin of safety will provide the longer distance needed if you have to stop.
- Know your brakes. Whether you have anti-lock brakes or not, keep the heel of your foot on the floor and use the ball of your foot to apply firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal.
- Don’t stop if you can avoid it. There’s a big difference in the amount of inertia it takes to start moving from a full stop versus how much it takes to get moving while still rolling. If you can slow down enough to keep rolling until a traffic light changes, do it.
- Don’t power up hills. Applying extra gas on snow-covered roads will just make your wheels spin. Try to get a little inertia going before you reach the hill and let that inertia carry you to the top. As you reach the crest of the hill, reduce your speed and proceed downhill slowly.
- Don’t stop going up a hill. There’s nothing worse than trying to get moving up a hill on an icy road. Get some inertia going on a flat roadway before you take on the hill.
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Upcoming Community Events
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Help Support the Police Department Honor Guard
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Please join us at the
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
annual Guns & Hoses Game on Saturday, January 25. At 7:05 p.m. a great night of hockey will begin with the police and fire puck drop. Intermission will include mascot bowling featuring Sparky the Fire Dog versus McGruff the Crime Dog. There will be several special events throughout the night featuring Cedar Rapids Police Officers and
Cedar Rapids Firefighters
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The night will also feature some unique silent auction items.
All proceeds will benefit the Police Department and Fire Department Honor Guards. The Honor Guards represent each public safety agency at funerals, memorials, and other events.
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Personal Safety Class - January 16
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The Cedar Rapids Police Department will be offering a personal safety class at the Police Station in January. The class, which is limited to 25 participants, will be held on Thursday, January 16, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. at the Cedar Rapids Police Station, 505 1st Street SW. The class is intended to inform participants on how to be safe in their daily lives and is not a “hands-on” training class.
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The Community Outreach Division of the Police Department organizes several events throughout the year to help educate, inform and inspire citizens about crime prevention and Police Department activities. Examples include the Citizens’ Police Academy, Coffee with a Cop, Summer Youth Academies, and Catch with a Cop, amongst several programs to build trust between citizens and police officers. To register for the class, please contact the Police Department’s Community Outreach Division Sergeant, Laura Faircloth, at (319) 286-5425.
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Cedar Rapids Police Department Community Outreach Division | 319-286-5425 |
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