Crime usually increases in a community as the population increases. But that is not what is currently happening in Fairburn. The most recent weekly crime reports tracking both criminal and law enforcement activity by the week, month and year-to-date show that the more serious Part 1 crimes have increased less than one-half percent since January compared to the same period in 2005, even though the city’s population has increased more than 9 percent in the past year.

Chief Charles Long said he attributes the numbers to the department’s implementation of an accountability policing model and the increasing cooperation between the department and the community.

“I’m real pleased with the numbers. We had a year-to-date increase of 30 percent in March but with the implementation of team policing we’ve recognized a reduction in Part 1 crimes and we want to sustain that reduction,” Long said. “We intend to fight a daily and weekly battle against crime. And that’s a total team effort with law enforcement and the community.”

Part 1 crimes include felonies such as robbery, rape, murder, aggravated assault, burglary, theft, entering vehicles, vehicle theft and arson. Comparing the numbers year-to-date in 2005 and 2006 shows an overall .4 percent increase in these crimes, with increases in some crime categories and decreases in others. In total, there were 248 Part 1 crimes between January-May 2005 compared to 249 during the 2006 period.

Burglaries for the comparison period showed 45 in 2005 and 48 in 2006, a 6.7 percent increase. Thefts rose by 1.7 percent, with 117 occurring in 2005 compared to 119 for the same period in 2006. Vehicle thefts decreased by 45.1 percent, from 51 in 2005 to 28 in the January-May period in 2006. Arson cases decreased by 50 percent, with two cases in 2005 and one case in 2006. Instances of entering a vehicle increased 73.7 percent, with 19 cases in the 2005 period and 33 in 2006. Aggravated assault cases went from seven in 2005 to 11 in 2006, a 57.1 percent increase. And a total of seven robberies occurred in 2005 compared to nine in 2006, a 28.6 percent increase. Fairburn had no murders or rapes during either reporting period.

Fairburn weekly crime statistics also track other activities such as traffic accidents, simple assaults, noise complaints, fights, family violence calls, animal complaints and property damage. In addition, the crime stat report logs the number of officer-initiated actions such as investigating suspicious persons and suspicious vehicles.

Like many communities in metro Atlanta, Fairburn continues to experience a population boom that began in 2000. In April 2000 the city had a population of 5,464. By May 2005 the city had grown to 10,356. One year later, in May 2006, the city had a population of 11,439, a 9.1 percent increase in 12 months.

The reports, compiled for week, month and year-to-date, indicate the area of town and the specific neighborhood where crimes and officer-initiated actions occur. Long said the reports are available to the public at Fairburn Police Department or at city hall.

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