Police data reveals Kent crime hotspots
Crime in Kent is primarily concentrated along Franklin Avenue, Main Street, Silver Meadows Boulevard, Mantua Street and Water Street, according to data compiled from Jan. 1, 2014 to Oct. 2, 2014, from the Kent Police Department. Franklin Avenue and Main Street came in first with 52 reported incidents each, followed by the 40 reported incidents on Water Street.
This ranking was no surprise to Lt. Jim Prusha of the Kent Police Department.
Definitions of Major Crimes
Aggravated Assault
Causing or attempting to cause serious physical harm to another person while under the influence of sudden passion or in a sudden fit of rage, either of which is brought on by serious provocation occasioned by the victim that is reasonably sufficient to incite the person into using deadly force.
Assault
Doing or attempting to do bodily harm to another person with unlawful force or violence.
Robbery
Committing or attempting to commit a theft offense with a deadly weapon.
Motor Vehicle Theft
Taking an automobile or other vehicle without the owner’s permission.
Larceny
Wrongfully taking, obtaining, or withholding, by any means, from the possession of the owner or of any other person any money, personal property, or article of value of any kind.
Burglary Entering a residence by force, stealth or deception.
Information from the Ohio Revised Code
“I would have guessed about what [the data] says,” Prusha said.
Larceny is the leading crime in Kent, with 361 reported incidents in 2014. Franklin Avenue had the most larceny reports with 32 reported incidents.
“Other assault” is ranked second on the list of major crimes in Kent. It includes simple assault, felonious assault and negligent assault. There was one incident of rape from Jan. 1, 2014, to Oct. 2, 2014, and no reports of murder in Kent this year.
According to the Ohio Revised Code, larceny is wrongfully taking, obtaining, or withholding, by any means, “from the possession of the owner or of any other person any money, personal property, or article of value of any kind.”
While larceny is theft of personal property, Prusha said that burglary is defined as entering a residence by force, stealth or deception.
The chances of a person getting a stolen item back depends on many things, Prusha said.
“We usually get stolen cars back,” Prusha said. “Usually the things that are stolen are cell phones, wallets and those kinds of things. We don’t get very many back.” When a person reports a stolen vehicle, Prusha said the Kent Police Department shares the information with surrounding agencies and lists it in LEADS (Law Enforcement Automated Data System).
LEADS is the statewide computerized network which provides computerized data and communications for criminal justice agencies within the state of Ohio, according to the Ohio Revised Code, It is administered by the Ohio state highway patrol superintendent.
“[LEADS] is an awesome tool for the police officers to have,” Prusha said. Prusha said the department also uses LEADS when tracking stolen laptops by serial numbers.
“The problem is that usually the people who are reporting their laptops are stolen don’t remember their serial numbers,” Prusha said.
If theft occurs at a location with a camera, Prusha said police officers will then ask for a copy of the tape.
Compiling Crime Data and Statistics
“Compiling data is probably a good idea that we should do more of, or we should have a reporting system that could look up this kind of information more easily,” Prusha said.
Rather than using compiled data, Prusha said that most police officers rely on intuition when assessing which areas to focus on.
“We tend to focus our energy on areas that we feel historically tend to have a higher crime,” Prusha said. “We don’t totally ignore the low crime areas. I mean, we owe to them to be there sometimes too. We try to do this in an informal way, just by memory and by past experiences.
Prusha said that such data can help the Kent Police Department direct their resources to where the problem areas are and answer questions the department gets from media and the public.
It can also be used to back up and support the efforts of the police department, he said.
See what crimes occurred on your street.
Decreased Crime in Kent
Even though reports only reflect data from Jan1. 2014 to Oct. 2, 2014, crime has decreased in Kent within the last four years.
Prusha said he guesses that it is because of the recent collaborative efforts between the city and the university.
“We’ll talk with people about crime prevention, personal safety and those kinds of things so maybe some of that is paying off,” Prusha said.
The other reason could be the changes that have occurred at the Villages at Franklin Crossing, formerly known as Silver Meadows Apartments.
It is now managed by LoveLight, Inc., a nonprofit based in Kent, and Millennia Housing. The Villages at Franklin Crossing office refused to speak with reporters on the surrounding crimes and five residents approached were wary to talk or said they were not allowed to speak about the area crimes.
A resident of Franklin Crossings discusses crime near his apartment complex:
“This new management company is really making a lot of strong efforts to reduce problems in their complex so I think that’s helping a lot,” Prusha said.
There has also been a lot of effort from the Center of Student Involvement at Kent State in regards to crime prevention, said Prusha.
“Part of my job description includes being working with community relationships.” said Todd E. Kamenash, assistant dean of students and director of student conduct.
For about six weeks, Kamenash and a student employee went door-to-door to speak with students on the streets around campus that are most heavily student-rented, he said.
They were joined at times by a student leader and occasionally, by the Mayor, he said.
“Our message was about being a good neighbor, awareness about the City of Kent and safety,” Kamensah said.
“[The Kent Police Department] has done as much as it can,” Prusha said.
