ASHLAND - Police have made more arrests over the last several years, but officials are not convinced that trend points to a surge in crime or any problem that sets the town apart from its neighbors. "We've been aware of the gradual increase in arrests," Selectman Adam Shuster said yesterday. "The question is whether that's because there's more crime or we've devoted more resources to addressing the crime that exists."
The answer is probably a little of both, said Police Chief Scott Rohmer.
The increase in arrests - reported in the Boston Globe last weekend - is clear. Back in 1997, Ashland police made 257 arrests for the full year; police have made 454 arrests already this year.
Yet according to Police Department figures in Ashland's annual town reports, the town has seen no major increase in violent incidents like assaults, robberies, domestic disturbances or rape.
Drug arrests rose and peaked in 2003, and have dropped in the following three years, according to the town's statistics.
Some issues may spill over from being next to a larger town like Framingham, which brings Ashland "some positives and negatives," Shuster said.
Despite a recent stabbing on Presidents Row, where detectives said at least one of the suspects claimed to be in the Bloods gang, Rohmer said the culprits probably have no serious affiliation with the gang.
"Let me be clear: There is no gang problem here in Ashland," Rohmer said. The total arrests spiked between 2004 and 2005, from 328 to 407. That's around the same time the town hired three new patrol officers through a federal grant.
Adding more cops might account for at least some of the increase, Rohmer said, though overall, it was unclear yesterday what types of charges are behind the spike in arrests.
Rohmer acknowledged that Ashland has seen some increased crime, including juvenile offenses, but he said many problems are similar elsewhere.
He said detectives have more aggressively investigated drug offenses. He also said Ashland - like many neighboring towns - has grown and is seeing many arrests that stem from increased traffic.
"Traffic has increased incredibly in the area," Rohmer said. "We arrest a lot of people who don't have licenses."
"We as a Police Department have seen an increase, but I don't think it's at a level where it's out of control or unsafe," Rohmer added. "I think Ashland is one of the safest places."
Other town officials said they are unsure what conclusions to draw from the rise in arrests. "There's been an increase, but does it correlate with an increase in population?" asked Selectman Arthur Shapiro.
Budget cuts left the department short three dispatchers last fiscal year, which meant more officers have to handle dispatch duties.
"The bottom line is, do we need more cops? Absolutely," Town Manager John Petrin said. "But it's not to the point where anybody is feeling unsafe." Selectmen Chairman Philip Jack lauded police, saying the department has improved and does an "outstanding" job.
Still, Ashland officials should look more closely at the arrests and see if the town can prevent certain crimes, Jack said.
Rohmer said police are taking steps to reach out to youth, including an anti-gang grant the town is sharing with Framingham to sponsor youth sports.
"I'm not alarmed because I know violent crime has not increased," Jack said. "But prudence says you look at the numbers and see where the increase is coming from."
(David Riley can be reached at 508-626-3919 or driley@cnc.com.)
Posted by: Edmizer1
Anyone with a few years on the job will tell you that the more cops you have in relation to your population, or if your agency has time on its hands causes arrest numbers increase. The town next to me has significantly more crime with the same population as us. They have much fewer arrests. Their PD doesn't have time.
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