Arvin Police Department reports the number of homicides are down, but property crimes are rising

The Arvin Police Department reports the number of homicides are down, but property crimes are rising based on data collected in 2019.

MEETING -- DETAILINGWHICH CRIMES HAVE BEEN ON THERISE -- AND WHICH ONES AREDECREASING.23ABC'S IMANI STEPHENS JOINS USIN STUDIO WITH ABREAKDOWN OF THE ANNUALREPORT...JESS, THE REPORT HIGHLIGHTS OVERTHE PAST FOUR YEARS, DATA ONCRIMES REPORTED.

COMPARED TO THEPREVIOUSYEAR.IN 2019 - THE DEPARTMENT SAW ANINCREASE IN PROPERTYCRIMES, VIOLENT CRIMES, ANDSIMPLE ASSAULT AND THE CHIEF OFARVIN POLICE DEPARTMENT OUTLINESHOW THE DEPARTMENTPLANS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES THISYEAR."WE SAW A DECREASE IN HOMICIDES,WE SAWA DECREASE IN RAPES, WE SAW ADECREASE ALSO IN THE AGGRAVATEDASSAULTS"CHIEF SCOT KIMBLE SAYS THERE AREPOSITIVES IN THEANNUAL POLICE REPORT FOR THEARVIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.IN 2017 VIOLENT CRIMES SPIKED --WITH 229 REPORTED.

SINCETHEN -- THE NUMBERS HAVE GONEDOWN.

AND IN 2019 -- THEREWERE 201.BUT WHILE VIOLENT CRIME IS WASLESS LAST YEAR COMPAREDTO 2017, IT'S HIGHER THAN 2018.AND IT'S NOT THE ONLY TYPE OFCRIME ON THE RISE."HOWEVER, IN SOME OF THE OTHERCATEGORIES, DID INCREASE SUCH ASPROPERTY CRIMES FOR EXAMPLE ORTHESIMPLE ASSAULTS SO THAT AFFECTSTHE OVERALL NUMBERS"THE REPORT SHOWS PROPERTY CRIMEHAD THE MOST INCREASE,FOLLOWED BY VIOLENT CRIMES - ANDSIMPLE ASSAULT, SUCH ASAN INDIVIDUAL PUSHING ORSLAPPING SOMEONETHEY'RE TRYING TO BRING THATNUMBER DOWN BY REMINDINGPEOPLE TO NEVER LEAVE ITEMS INYOUR CAR VISIBLY OUT OR LEAVINGYOUR CAR OR HOME DOOR UNLOCK"THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE COMMITTINGALOT OF PROPERTY CRIMES ARELOOKING FOR CRIMES OFOPPORTUNITY"AN OPPORTUNITY - THAT APPEARS TOBE ON THE RISE IN ARVINACCORDINGTO THE REPORTIN 2018 - THERE WERE 319REPORTED PROPERTYCRIMES - AND IN THE FOLLOWINGYEAR, 2019, A TOTAL OF 453PROPERTY CRIMESAND CHIEF SAYS THE DEPARTMENT ISLOOKING TO HIRE MORE OFFICERS TOCOMBAT THE RISE IN CRIME"I BELIEVE WE CAN FIND THOSEOFFICERS,AND HIRE THEM AND GET THEMTRAINED SO WE CAN NOT ONLYSTRENGTHEN OURPATROL FORCE BUT THEN WE CANBRANCH OFF INTO SOME SPECIALTYDIVISIONS,SUCH AS TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT,CANINE, AND DETECTIVES"THIS YEAR -- THE CHIEF SAYS THEYHOPE TO HIRE FOUR TO FIVEADDITIONAL POLICE OFFICERSBUT THEY WANT THE COMMUNITY'SHELP TOO.

OFFICIALS SAYPEOPE SHOULD REPORT CRIMES ANDIF NECESSARY --UTILIZE THE ANONYMOUS TIP LINE."IF THEY SHARE THE INFORMATIONABOUTWHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE INTHEIR COMMUNITY THAT HELPS US TOBETTERDO OUR JOBS AND BE ABLE TO GIVETHEM THE QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUESTHAT THEY ARECONCERNED ABOUT"CHIEF KIMBLE SAYS THE DEPARTMENTWILL CONTINUE WITHHOSTING THEIR TOWN HALLMEETINGS, ESTABLISH ANEIGHBORHOOD WATCH, AND ARETESTING BODY-WORN CAMERASTO ASSIST WITH THEIR EFFORTSWITHIN THE COMMUNITY.LIVE IN STUDIO...I'M IMANISTEPHENS...23ABC NEWS...CONNECTING YOU.KERN COUNTY IS UNDER THE CO