On Thursday, the City of Westfield announced a third consecutive year in which its crime rate decreased. This is among the key findings in the Westfield Police Department 2018 Annual Report.
“As a community, we can measure success in many ways and the safety and security of our community is the most important,” said Mayor Andy Cook. “Creating a safe community for our families is a priority in Westfield. The fact that our crime rate has gone down three years in a row while our population has gone up is a testament to the professionalism and commitment of the Westfield Police Department.”
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“I am so proud of the men and women of our team,” said Westfield Police Chief Joel Rush. “Their hard work and commitment to professionalism shows in the service they provide each day. We love serving the people of Westfield and appreciate the overwhelming support we receive.”
In 2018, Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) decreased to 562, the lowest rate since 2012. This statistic is significant as the population of Westfield increased by almost 2,300 from 2017. UCR is a national statistical account of data on crime in a specific area conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI). Between 2017 and 2018, Westfield also saw decreases in robberies, aggravated assaults, motor vehicle thefts and burglaries.
In addition to the reduced crime rate, the Westfield Police Department reported on its new school security partnership with Westfield Washington Schools. This program included, among other things, adding more School Resource Officers, creating Police Substations at Westfield’s elementary schools and using new technologies to monitor activity within the city’s schools. From the first day of school until the end of 2018, the Westfield Police Department reported 838 school visits, 162 of which were substation visits.
For more information and to see the full report, click here.