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Home My WebLink About090523-08.1 POLICE UPDATE REPORTCRIME UPDATE TRAFFIC UPDATE CASE STUDIES SPECIAL EVENTS Town Council Update September 2023 SMALL TOWN ATMOSPHERE, OUTSTANDING QUALITY OF LIFE 10-Year Avg.2022 2023 Homicide Rape Robbery Aggravated Assaults 10 7.5 5 2.5 0 10-Year Avg.2022 2023 Burglary Theft Vehicle Theft 125 100 75 50 25 0 C R I M E U P D A T E The reported violent crime rate for the first half of 2023 stayed relatively unchanged in all categories except for aggravated assaults, which saw a very steep increase when compared to the first half of the previous year. A detailed breakdown of all violent crimes is located later in this report, but essentially no pattern was identified to target and the crimes seemed to be brought on by various family disputes, mental health, and fights at social gatherings. If not for the elevated aggravated assaults, violent crime would be low when compared to the 10-year average. Total Reported Part 1 Violent Crime for January - June Total Reported Part 1 Property Crime for January - June 161110886182011.712028.9 22 2 9002.41.40.2 5 Crime rose in all categories of Reported Part 1 Property Crime. While reported burglary and thefts remain below the 10-year average, vehicle thefts rose above the 10-year average. A bulk of the increase can be attributed to a series of vehicles that were stolen January, March, and June. 2 2022 2023 January February March April May June 40 30 20 10 0 T R A F F I C U P D A T E The total reported collisions rose for the first half of the year from 125 in 2022 to 147 in 2023. Directed enforcement has increased over the same period in response to the elevated traffic collision increase. Citations increased from 643 in 2022 to 1959 in 2023. Total Reported Traffic Collisions for January - June 2323 25 25 18 33 2021 29 19 24 12 Property Fatal Injury Hit and Run 50 40 30 20 10 0 Collision Comparison By Collision Type for January - June J a n u a r y F e b r u a r y M a r c h A p r i l M a y J u n e 600 400 200 0 Citations by Month 113 228 382 431 516 424 32 41 1 0 24 27 21 30 3 2023 PART ONE VIOLENT CRIME A DEEP LOOK The Reported Part 1 aggravated assaults rose significantly in 2023, to a level higher than in any of the previous ten years. Below is a breakdown of each of the nine aggravated assaults and the two robberies, representing the 11 total reported Part 1 Violent Crimes. FELONY ASSAULTS 9 January 9 During the theft of a catalytic converter the suspect and victim exchanged gunfire at each other. No one was hit and the case remains open. January 27 Several students attacked another student at an after school event. All parties identified and case closed with the District Attorney’s Office refusing to file charges. February 4 A fight broke out at a party and one person sustained significant injuries. Involved parties were identified and the District Attorney’s Office refused to file charges. February 17 A son attacked his father with a knife and threatened to kill him. The son was arrested and the case was closed after the District Attorney’s Office prosecuted the suspect. April 1 A woman punched another woman in the face during a dispute over a parking spot, causing a significant injury. The District Attorney’s Office refused to file charges. April 10 Two teen girls fought and one hit the other with a phone. The Juvenile Probation Office did not file charges. May 7 Two men fought over a parking spot. One sustained significant injuries and the event garnered significant media attention. The District Attorney’s Office did not file charges as it appeared both parties had the opportunity to avoid the conflict and chose to fight. May 27 A cyclist was stabbed by a motorist during a road rage incident. The case is open and will be presented to the District Attorney after medical records are obtained detailing injuries. June 22 A step-son attacked his step-mother with a sword. The son was arrested and the case was closed after the District Attorney’s Office filed charges against the suspect. 4 2 The reported Part 1 robberies remained unchanged from 2022 to 2023 at two total robberies. ROBBERIES January 3 A strong-armed robbery of a lady seated in her vehicle in front of the Wells Fargo Bank on Camino Tassajara for property from within her car. This case was closed after the District Attorney’s Office filed charges against the suspect. June 30 A juvenile attempted to rob the Patelco Bank on Hartz Avenue with a note and was arrested shortly after the attempt. This case was closed after the District Attorney’s Office filed charges against the suspect. Crime Total Homicide 0 Rape 0 Robbery 2 Assault 9 Burglary 20 Theft 108 Vehicle Theft 16 2023 N/A N/A 100%89%35%16%25% 2020 National Average 54%30%28%48%14%15%12% 2023 PART ONE VIOLENT CRIME A DEEP LOOK 2023 CASE CLOSURE RATE JANUARY THROUGH JUNE The Clearance Rate of Part 1 Crimes reported to the Danville Police Department is the percentage of cases that are solved. This rate exceeds and is often double the National average. In order for a case to be cleared, at least one person must be arrested and charged with the commission of the offense and turned over to the court for prosecution. Clearances can also be made by exceptional means if the offender is identified, there is enough evidence to support an arrest, the offender's exact location is known, and there is a circumstance outside of law enforcement's control that prohibits the agency from arresting, charging, and prosecuting the offender. 5 In February 2023, two armed men were caught on a home camera breaking into an unoccupied house and stealing jewelry and a car. Officers used home surveillance cameras and the Town's FLOCK ALPR system to locate the stolen vehicle and two other cars tied to the criminals. The next day, the FLOCK ALPR system alerted Danville Officers when one of the suspect vehicles returned to Town. As officers pursued the suspect out of Town and into Milpitas, they identified the driver visually. Collaborating with other law enforcement agencies, Danville detectives identified the main suspect behind the burglary and connected him to other burglaries in different areas, while recovering several stolen vehicles. The District Attorney's Office filed charges, leading to the suspect's conviction in Contra Costa County Superior Court. This case demonstrates a successful approach involving vigilant residents, private camera footage, FLOCK ALPR use, and skilled detectives, resulting in the resolution of multiple burglary cases and holding the suspect accountable. Notably, the suspect’s return to town was thwarted by Danville officers alerted by the FLOCK ALPR system, highlighting its dual role as an investigation and crime prevention tool. PREVENTING AND SOLVING CRIME A CASE EXAMPLE 6 Between December 2022 and January 2023, the Danville Police Department received multiple reports of residential burglaries involving stolen bicycles from locked garages. The suspect typically smashed the garage windows, released the emergency handle, and made off with the bicycles. In one instance, a total of four bicycles valued at over $21,000 were stolen from a single garage. During the initial investigation, the responding officer uncovered surveillance footage from neighbors that showed a Chevrolet Tahoe as the vehicle used in these crimes. Utilizing the FLOCK ALPR system, the investigating officer identified the specific vehicle. Subsequently, a dedicated detective took charge of the case and employed advanced investigative techniques to trace and apprehend the suspect. Through their efforts, it was discovered that the suspect had committed numerous crimes not only in Danville but also in other counties. The detective collaborated with detectives from San Francisco PD to apprehend the suspect. As a result of this comprehensive investigation and coordination among various law enforcement agencies, three burglaries in Danville, three in other Contra Costa County jurisdictions, and several in Marin, Santa Clara, and San Mateo counties were solved. This case PREVENTING AND SOLVING CRIME A CASE EXAMPLE exemplifies a multifaceted approach to solving crimes and holding accountable those who victimize Danville residents. The community played a crucial role by providing home video footage, the FLOCK ALPR system pinpointed the suspect vehicle, and highly trained officers and detectives employed advanced techniques, collaborating with allied agencies to achieve justice for the victims. 7 COMMUNITY EVENTS Delivering Superior Municipal Services that Make People’s Live’s Better 4TH OF JULY UPCOMING EVENTS: September 10, 2023 - Hot Summer Sundays Car Show September 11, 2023 - 9/11 Memorial Ceremony October 8, 2023 - Run for Education November 22, 2023 - College Night November 24, 2023 - Lighting of the Old Oak Tree NATIONAL NIGHT OUT - AUGUST 2, 202 YOUTH/TEEN/ADULT CITIZEN’S ACADEMIES Command Staff Allan Shields Heather Transue Veronique Balea James Lang Steve Stapleton Chris Ellis Jacob Bell Justin Varady Ashields@danville.ca.gov htransue@danville.ca.gov vbalea@danville.ca.gov jlang@danville.ca.gov sstapleton@danville.ca.gov cellis@danville.ca.gov jbell@danville.ca.gov jvarady@danville.ca.gov Chief of Police Administrative Lieutenant Investigations Supervisor Traffic Supervisor Patrol Supervisor Patrol Supervisor Patrol Supervisor Patrol Supervisor 8