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October 6, 2011 in City
Spokane police to investigate fewer thefts, burglaries
Property crimes unit disbands
Worker Jeffrey Reeder helps install a high-density mobile shelving system in the city of Spokane’s new evidence storage facility at 4010 E. Alki on Wednesday.
(Full-size photo)
If you’re a victim of a burglary, theft or car prowling in Spokane, don’t expect to get the crime solved.
The Spokane Police Department announced Wednesday the official elimination of the property crimes unit and said citizens should expect only 5 percent of reported property crime to be investigated.
“We don’t want people to have that false impression that just because you make a police report a detective is going to look at it,” said Officer Jennifer DeRuwe, department spokeswoman.
Police continued working active cases and have been trying to start new investigations, but the resources to continue doing so just aren’t there, DeRuwe said.
This comes as FBI statistics show property crime in Spokane is increasing and violent crime is remaining steady, and as police warn of an increase in car theft.
It also comes after Mayor Mary Verner ordered the hiring of at least six more officers. DeRuwe said those hires will be used to fill patrol spots.
“That’s just to get us to a staffing level to sustain the calls for service,” DeRuwe said.
DeRuwe urged residents to continue to report burglaries, vehicle prowling and other property crimes. She said detectives will try to focus on property crime trends and crime committed by repeat offenders through the department’s targeted crime unit.
“But if it’s just your car got stolen and you don’t know who did it, you’re probably not going to get an investigation from us,” DeRuwe said. “It totally sucks for everybody in the community.”
Verner said she’s committed to adequately staffing the police department, but Chief Anne Kirkpatrick has had to make difficult decisions about where to place employees.
“The chief has to prioritize,” Verner said, and the top priority is responding to 911 calls and other calls for immediate service.
While violent crime in Spokane has remained at about 6 reports per 1,000 people since 2007, property crimes have increased from 56.5 reports per 1,000 people in 2007 to 73.9 in 2010. But initial calls for service, which are top priority, have soared. Between 1999 and 2010, according to police, there was a 14 percent increase in citizen calls for police as the city grew by 6 percent.
Verner said the force needs 35 or more additional officers “to get them to adequate staffing.”
Verner announced in May that she authorized the six new officers, which accompanied a report on police staffing that said the current size of the force, 290 commissioned officers, was inadequate to handle the demand for service.
David Condon, who is challenging Verner in the November mayoral election, said he would either work with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office to partner on property crimes or shift resources to bring back the detectives, perhaps from city programs focused on the environment.
“That is one of the No. 1 responsibilities of the city government is to protect its citizens,” Condon said. “I wouldn’t be comfortable with shutting it (the property crime unit) down.”
DeRuwe said patrol officers are preparing for additional calls for service once the West Plains is annexed to the city of Spokane next year.
“Basically, we’re just at the point now where we just need to make it clear to the community that we don’t have the officers, we don’t have the resources,” DeRuwe said. “We were trying to keep it afloat and it isn’t working.”
Reporter Jonathan Brunt continued to this report.
Human trafficking suspects released 
ChefGus/ John Olsen on October 06 at 2:21 a.m.
Is it April 1st?? John
Dazzeetrader11 on October 06 at 3:01 a.m.
John you like Verner. You support her. Nice.
Vote Condon.
mikeln on October 06 at 3:34 a.m.
Wonder what this is going to do to insurance? Nice to know that the police are going to tip thier hats and say have a nice day to the people that rob you.
oneanddone on October 06 at 3:58 a.m.
This is very simple. Money. The cop union wants more and this is the leverage they think they can use. Instead of dealing with crime they’ll be handing out more speeding tickets. The city goes along because speeding tickets are a revenue generator. At least their attitude is honest - “You don’t like it? Too damn bad.”
mikeln on October 06 at 4:51 a.m.
Open season on all the honest people in spokane. Time to lock and load, if the people you pay to protect you won’t, you have to do it yourself. Nice to know they will keep me safe from those scofflaws going a couple of miles over the speed limit but let the tweekers rob me in my home. Glad I don’t live in spokane!
TheRoyLarsen on October 06 at 4:58 a.m.
I was wondering how many posts it would take to blame organized labor.
Sunshinegurl on October 06 at 5:11 a.m.
Who cares? It sounds like they were over doing it on property crimes as it is. I mean seriously, why was a detective, who is paid around 80,000 a year following up on car prowls? People who call the cops on every little thing need to grow up. I’ve caught burglars breaking into my apt in the middle of the night I ended up having to confront them and they left empty handed. I never filed a report. If no one gets hurt or your property doesn’t amount to a gross misdemeanor you shouldn’t be calling regardless of current staffing.
Sunshinegurl on October 06 at 5:15 a.m.
Ps…Stop putting so many cops on paid admin leave every time they do something wrong, send them home without pay like everyone else and see if that helps. You could also quit acting like a bunch of rotten kids who constantly get sued and see if that frees up some of your budget. No real genious ideas are needed here. Show up to work, do the work, stay out of trouble, maybe put that down as a new years resolution.
lewis8457 on October 06 at 5:44 a.m.
i pay property taxes but get no concern for my property, you cops holster your guns if i see someone taking from me i will have a gun in my hand on my own property, and it will be loaded.
i will throw the body out in street and you guys can see it on a donut run.
avocet on October 06 at 7:05 a.m.
Great idea! Shout it from the rooftops to all the thugs out there that property crimes will not be investigated.
On the other hand, it’s good that we know these things so that we can protect ourselves. Lewis is right. Vigilantism will increase. Upon hearing this news, my mild-mannered husband talked again about buying a shotgun. So take note of THAT, thugs.
Albert on October 06 at 7:13 a.m.
Welcome to Compton, CA. Not kidding. Its time to alarm your home and vehicles, then as a citizen of the United States of America, who is protected under the 2nd. Amendment, pick up your firearm and respond.
I have a concealed weapons permit and thus I will once again begin to carry one. Mr. 00Buck will greet you at the front room, or garage when you break in our home and I’m not kidding…especially “if” the SPD, (Slay People Daily), show up and find a “knife in your hand”.
We really don’t need the gestapo anyway…who knows, they will shoot you first, then conduct a Ozzie led lying investigation.
If your vehicle has a red flasher on the dash, and your home is posted with a sign from the alarm company, this is far better than the gestapo kicking in your door.
opiemuyo on October 06 at 7:31 a.m.
Funny how they seem to find the money to make a new medical school building and fund it, but we do not have the money to pay for this.
greyhound2 on October 06 at 7:42 a.m.
The failure rate in solving major crimes like theft, robbery, rape, murder etc. by the police has always been about 85%. What the police do excell at however, are traffic violations and parking tickets.
westerly on October 06 at 7:45 a.m.
“citizens should expect only 5 percent of reported property crime to be investigated. I guess this sounds better than” 95 percent of property crime will not be investigated”.
Orphan on October 06 at 7:53 a.m.
The supreme Court has ruled over and over again that the police do not have a duty to protect individuals.
This may be a good thing if it wakes up a few people and they start taking care of them selves and quit depending on the police to solve stupid things like where/how your neighbor parks on the street.
I quit calling the police a long time ago I am less likely to get shot, hurt and arrested if I simply reserve 911 for life threatening situations only.
westerly on October 06 at 7:53 a.m.
Wow 35 more police needed..at $50,000 each starting wages, then in 5 years up to $90,000 a year. Spokane’s poor, low wage ‘empire’ cannot support gov people anymore. Spokane is number 2 in the state, but lags way behind the 3rd place, Tacoma in funding for public safety. Simple, taxes over here just don’t support more gov people, poverty wide area such as Spokane cannot support more cops and fireman, period!
yourkiddingme on October 06 at 7:56 a.m.
so, with all the budget wowes, its a great idea that they anexed the west plains. Mayor Verner, what are you gonna tell those citizens when they realize that the level of services is WORSE then when they were in the county. you cont manage your existing city limits and now you are expanding so things will be worse……..GREAT IDEA
norpass on October 06 at 7:56 a.m.
Der mojo Mayor Mary gots “priorities!” Good citizens of Spokane, you are NOT one of the mojo Mayor’s priorities. So if one gets the old homestead burglarized and then goes to file a claim with the home owner’s insurance, doesn’t that claim need to have a police report? I’m not certain but, I think that is how it works.
Oh well, buy shotguns and buckets full of shells. Good citizens of Spokane you are on you own!
terryalan on October 06 at 7:56 a.m.
Spokane police are basically worthless at best, fear inspiring killers at worst.
Just eliminate the whole damned department. Cut our taxes and quit pretending there are any protections at all.
de3 on October 06 at 8:11 a.m.
This does not represent a change in policy. I have lived here since the late 90s. The police never did anything to investigate or followup on crime reports, including thefts, stolen property found, bullet holes in windows, reports from witnesses, guns in plain sight and more.
The police are here to protect downtown and serve their own interests. Corruption and kleptocracy at their finest.
zac1974 on October 06 at 8:22 a.m.
This story implies that cops actually investigated these crimes before. I know first hand they never did.
liberal_in_right_wing_land on October 06 at 8:26 a.m.
Yes, lets vote Condon because magically he will make billions of dollars suddenly appear in the middle of a world economic depression. All we have to do is elect Condon and Spokane will the the shiny bright light on the hill the rest of the world will look to. Idiots.
Maybe I should start a new career of being a cat burglar…..you know sounds pretty easy and safe now that the police wont be looking for me. :-)
johno on October 06 at 8:47 a.m.
I was just thinking I’d rather have the police work on investigating my stolen car or my burglarized house, than spending time on the drug war. Let’s legalize drugs, tax it, and spend some of the money on drug treatment. At the same time we would put a lot of the criminal drug dealing element out of business. Police would also be freed up to do other things. The drug war is 50 years old with no ends in sight. It’s time for a different strategy.
lewis8457 on October 06 at 8:49 a.m.
liberal you have more to fear then cops if you want to be a thief, after losing most my equity in my home and my job last january, anybody takes from me they will be seeing stars for a long time after i beat the heck out of them with a baseball bat.
time to take back our city the heck with the cops all they want is our money and all the alcohol they can consume.
Coffee on October 06 at 9:14 a.m.
The first person you should call is your insurance company not the police and only then if the property lost is worth more than your deductible and the raise in your policy price for making a claim. Do not report a property crime to the police the insurance companies just use those statistics to raise their rates. You will save more tax money with less police officers.
Rand on October 06 at 9:23 a.m.
Let me guess they will still have enough resources to have a cop park out in front of Ferris High School every day to write chicken $hit tickets.
Albert on October 06 at 9:32 a.m.
Coffee…good point. I have raised my deductible to $1000. to save premiums anyway. If you have a “reasonable” insurance carrier, then you will get a “reasonable” settlement. After a really bad experience with the #1 insurance company on my auto claim, I visited the State Insurance website and did a careful study of complaints filed against companies. I choose a new insurance company based solely on the number of client complaints. Glad I did after this article today.
In any event, this is a good thought Coffee and your recommendation makes sense.
Rand: tickets = revenue. Why use a storm trooper to respond to an auto theft, or home burglary when we can make money for the unions and our future troopers???
brianrbreen on October 06 at 9:59 a.m.
I’ve seen a lot of reports like the one linked below, but this is the first one I have ever seen where the logo was the Chief of Police’s “Coin”. I didn’t know Chief Kirkpatrick had a coin, I wonder if it’s worth anything.
Don’t tack a worry on traffic enforcement though, you might note if you read this “To mitigate service impacts, the remaining traffic officers will increase enforcement levels from 12 to 15 infractions a day.”
http://www.spokanepolice.org/documents/State%20of%20SPD%20Staffing.pdf
D Statler on October 06 at 10:07 a.m.
@ opiemuyo, Funny you mention the new medical facility. This project is very costly to begin with. We are spending all that money to educate 150 kids when at full capacity. For the money spent, we could educate ten times as many at U W. That doesn’t even account for the costs to run and maintain the undersized facility. Why would we build a college / research institute that couldn’t handle more students? This is truely a mistake and another waste of tax dollars.
No onto the matter at hand. Lets end the corruption of the drug and gang task force. Those assets would go miles towards property crimes and the patrols we have been missing for years.There are enough people passing out drugs in Spokane. We don’t need the task force doing it also! :^(
DickAdams on October 06 at 10:10 a.m.
Years ago I offered testimony at a city council meeting showing Spokane was above the national average in every category of crime. I compared Garland, Tx., as an example. Garland has a population about the size of Spokane. I passed out print outs obtained from Sperling, a company that specializes in statics in all categories, schools, wages, housing costs etc, and is recognized nationally for integrity and accuracy. Garland put the Lilac City to shame. Many governmental agency’s in the country use Sperling, showing stats, and maintain them for every city in the country. Many state and local governments use the service. I have kept track of Spokane stats for the last 2 decades and our city has “always” been above the national average in every category of crime. I guess the bottom line is today`s story adds nothing that hasn`t been going on in our community the last 20 plus years.
brianrbreen on October 06 at 10:28 a.m.
@DickAdams
The piece I linked above doesn’t at all address case management statistics. It would be interesting to know what a comparison over the last decade between assigned cases and case disposition was in the property unit compared to the other investigative units. Then a comparison to staffing levels for each period and each unit and based on those stats a reevaluation of staffing levels for each unit.
I didn’t make a comparison between the stats in the linked report and Sperling but I have in the past found they differ for some reason.
SpokyDaBear on October 06 at 10:32 a.m.
Cool!…..let’s all go rob the police station…. They will never investigate…
Squid on October 06 at 11:14 a.m.
Didn’t Wayne Scott Creach get executed for protecting his property?
DickAdams on October 06 at 12:20 p.m.
brian:
Quite a few years ago, I contacted Sperling regarding the Spokane stats. It was a year Spokane had reached an all time record for homicides. The stats reflected in the Sperling numbers showed a much lower number than the actual for the city of Spokane at the time. I wrote a letter to Sperling asking why their numbers were so much lower than the actual number of homicides in Spokane. I thought for awhile they would track it down but for some reason I never heard back. Hmmm. My guess was the city failed to furnish the actual count but instead merely did not respond to the inquiry. Even the census numbers appeared false. Maybe city hall had homicide amnesia? The other crime stats still remain above the national average. They may even be fudged and are worse than published?
Rand on October 06 at 12:27 p.m.
@Spoky That is awesome.
MrNatural on October 06 at 12:59 p.m.
When I read this in today’s paper I thought Oh Boy the boards are going to have a field day with this one.
To me it’s just another symptom of the imposition of the conservative republican tea party agenda. You get what you pay for and regardless of the p’n and moanin wha-wha about paying too much in taxes eventually this conservative business model renders quality or quantity.
Kinda funny that the greedhead wealth hoarders might have to pay out to private security firms to protect all their tax deferred treasures cause the police won’t respond to the security alarm…ha!
crossfire on October 06 at 1:35 p.m.
I read somewhere a few weeks ago where Chief Ann stated that property crimes were a high priority for the SPD.
What gives? Was that just fluff to get us to quiet down?
Oh well, arm yourselves and get ready for the criminals to have a field day in Spokane.
ChefGus/ John Olsen on October 06 at 2:02 p.m.
For what it is worth… Last couple of weeks the Wholesale Sports folks at the West end of the Valley Mall had a sale on the new Taurus “Judge” a 410/ 45 Long Colt Revolver. Takes a whole lot less training and skill to use than a full frame 1911 A-1.
No one who owns a weapon should use it without proper training and skills tuned up. John
brianrbreen on October 06 at 2:38 p.m.
@DickAdams
It’s been awhile, about four years, but in a case I was involved in I was trying to correlate some stats provided by the SPD in some of their documents and the UCRs reported to the FBI by the SPD and I had trouble trying to figure out what appeared to me to be discrepancies. But I’m no math guy and if I remember right I only got a “C” in statistics in college.
With respect to reported property crimes, according to bling, they are only going to investigate 5% of reported property crimes from this day forward. My question would be what % did they investigate prior to the financial trauma they are now suffering and what was the case load of the detectives assigned to the property crimes unit compared to the other units.
We approved a bond issue for an RMS system, long ago, that was supposed to track case management issues and assist in the supervision of the case management process. My understanding is that it doesn’t work the way it was supposed to, but what do I know.
So when I see a fluff piece that I linked above with the Chiefs Coin attached that is the basis for this news article I consider it for what it is.
@ MrNatural
I defy you to show any evidence that I am a “Tea Bagger” or for that matter a conservative. If this is a Mayoral race between R and D, I’ll take the person who is a political animal and knows they have to get rid of some people that are an impediment to transparent government which will only improve that persons ability to get beyond Spokane. But I don’t care, do two and get the hell out. just make it better.
MrNatural on October 06 at 3:07 p.m.
??? Brianbreen…?
I do my best to critique the ideology and not the person…and I said tea “party” due to some sensibilities.
My comment is focused on the constant assault against the ever shrinking public budget.
I do not think the vociferous CAVE mob realizes the increasing risks to our society when police, fire, public health etc budgets are continually getting cut.
Thoreau on October 06 at 3:30 p.m.
The least the Spokesman can do is provide the statistic showing how many registered gun owners live in Spokane, as long as they’re publicly informing would-be crooks of the decrease in policing.
Coffee on October 06 at 3:37 p.m.
Why should I take a cut in my standard of living so a public employs can go up? Most policemen already live better than the average Spokane City working stiff.
brianrbreen on October 06 at 4:53 p.m.
@ MrNatural
I would agree, but by the same token. My position is that I don’t have an “ideology” the only ideology I have is be honest no matter where it goes. Now that might be hard for some to understand. But I would like to see a lot of honesty and despite the fact that the City of Spokane is so deep protecting Karl Thompson and other people interests.
Dazzeetrader11 on October 06 at 5:18 p.m.
Verner spent the money on things ($15 million in unneeded real estate) and she cannot fund things properly.
Someone will get maimed to killed as the people in Spokane will be protecting themselves.
This mayor really needs to be fired.
Vote Condon. It’s getting more obvious Spokane must have a new mayor. The list of reasons is getting longer.
brianrbreen on October 06 at 6:45 p.m.
Besides some people, does anyone keep track of how often Chief Kirkpatrick shows up for work, or may be on some mission to try and find a place to go beyond the SPD. Last I heard is Jim Nicks is running the department. Marlene would you mind providing the media with her calendar, and you know who’s notes?
misjustice on October 06 at 7:02 p.m.
@ Natch, your 12:59 p.m. post
The 5% that will be investigated are the victims that are non-Job Creators and their businesses; the rest of us will have to rely on our own security systems…what ever those may be.
Back in 20001, when my house was broken into and most of my good stuff was stolen, it was the responding police officer that found the suspect and cuffed and stuffed him. However, once the case wound through the legal “system” it was the Prosecutor’s Office that declined to pursue the case; despite witnesses that could place the perp on my property. Their reason? He didn’t steal ENOUGH to warrant their pursuit of the case, I only suffered about an 8-10K loss..
brianrbreen on October 06 at 7:09 p.m.
@MarleneFiest
I probably didn’t explain myself very well, but I did hear a rumor that the Chief isn’t around all that often, and there may be some people keeping track of that. I was hoping you could help to put an end to that rumor, and demonstrate that all that other documentation is false.
brianrbreen on October 06 at 7:33 p.m.
@misjustice
Typical Army! It doesn’t matter whether it’s 5% or 100% you will always have those that feel they have the enough juice to demand that the cops solve their toilet paper theft. The test is whether or not the brass has the…what ever you call it…to say gee I’m sorry but the flag pole is over there.
misjustice on October 06 at 7:40 p.m.
DeRuwe said. “It totally sucks for everybody in the community.”
Yeah, like it does totally suck, like totally, Jen. Way to totally communicate, like, without being totally sucky, like, as the totally tuned in non-sucky dudette mouthpiece of the SPD, like! Totally!
brianrbreen on October 06 at 7:44 p.m.
@misjustice
I loved that, good job! But she is my kinda gal , just a semi-pro.
brianrbreen on October 06 at 7:48 p.m.
@misjustice
Oh gosh, That was all wrong I meant semi-pro PIO.
misjustice on October 06 at 7:53 p.m.
Brian, Lol! Freudian slip?
; )
I just, like, kinda imagine her, like. twistin’ her over processed hair, like, while lamenting, like, on how sucky it is, like; twist, twist, twist.
Please tell me that she’s, like, from Cali? Like? Totally?
brianrbreen on October 06 at 7:54 p.m.
@misjustice
She might need some street time in vice so she can learn that when she says that really “sucks” it might have a different meaning.
brianrbreen on October 06 at 8:03 p.m.
@misjustice
Sucky, as it might be for some of us older guys. I guess that is the embodiment of the new professionalism.
D Statler on October 06 at 8:05 p.m.
Mayor Verner has already emptied the public reserves set aside for water / sewer infrastructure. Now she is scurrying to raise rates to cover needed repairs. She has also granted 5% pay increases to Spokane Police officers three years in a row starting right after her re-election next year. In the mean time, none of the rest of us has seen a raise in three years. It is high time to elect someone with a conscience and a back bone.
misjustice on October 06 at 8:23 p.m.
@ Brian, it totally sucks for those of us with Communications Degrees to read/hear such sucky “communication” like, totally from a supposed “pro”, like. And it’s not just older gentlemen like you, totally, like, that find this new level of professionalism to like, totally suck, like!
Vice?
That would, like, totally suck, in like, a sucky way, and too also, like. But in a different kind of sucky suck kinda suck, like way.
Like? or Unlike?
Like, sucky!
Geez!
; )
misjustice on October 06 at 8:26 p.m.
P.S. Brian, you were correct about the NWJTTF; I didn’t find what I was a lookin’ for. But what I did find and read about gave me the creeps.
brianrbreen on October 06 at 8:29 p.m.
@misjustice
You caught the “bling” didn’t you?
misjustice on October 06 at 10:29 p.m.
Brian, ya lost me on the “bling” thing…???????
kennyhuston on October 07 at 11:18 a.m.
@ Misjustice
Totally a Caligirl - but you totally forgot the gum like going * snap * snap * snap * in conjunction with the tubular hairswirling!!! LOL!!!
misjustice on October 07 at 7:29 p.m.
^ I know, like! *
; )