Crime Figures Expected to Show Decrease in 2010; Precinct 12 Captain Praises Officers

In a meeting with the Precinct 12 Police Community Relations Council last week, North Point station commander Capt. Woodland M. “Butch” Wilson III said that when final reports are tallied by the Baltimore County Police Department, he expects 2010 crime numbers for the Dundalk area to show a decrease in activity across the board.

The expectation of lower crime numbers comes on the heels of a significant drop in violent crime in the Dundalk area in 2009 when rape, robbery and aggravated assault reports showed double-digit percentage decreases activity.

Thefts and burglary reports spiked by 5.9 percent and 1.6 percent in 2009.

After an increase in Dundalk area crime numbers in the first part of 2010, Wilson said there had been “a major drop,” after June.

Wilson listed the number of felony crimes in Dundalk at just over 700 heading into the last month of 2010, adding that 600 arrests had been made in those cases. Of the 4,200-plus misdemeanor cases through November, arrests were made in more than 2,400 cases thus far.

Over 11,000 citations had been written in the precinct, "which could be good or bad, depending on which side of those you're on," Wilson added with a smile.

He informed the Community Relations Council that 197 people had been arrested for D.U.I.’s in the precinct through November. Wilson said previously that only the Parkville station makes more D.U.I.’s arrests than the North Point station in Baltimore County. Wilson also said he didn’t expect a significant increase locally in the monthly D.U.I. numbers through the holidays – stating that the numbers remain steady throughout the year in the precinct.

Wilson credited the precinct’s 159 sworn officers, two administrative assistants – as well as the station’s janitor – for their commitment to their jobs and maintaining a high level of morale. He also praised the precinct’s younger officers.

“The majority of our officers are under 30-years-old,” said Wilson, who has been leading the North Point station for a little over two years. “We’re one of the youngest precincts in the county, and we’re also one of the largest. Only Essex, which I believe has 178 officers is larger,” Wilson said.

Each officer in the precinct has at least 31 college credits earned through graduation in Baltimore County Police Academy, Wilson noted, “with some up to earning Master’s degrees.” “A good portion of our officers come with a military background and we have some (Baltimore) City officers who have transferred here,” Wilson added.

As a group, he said, the Precinct 12 officers are as “dedicated and brave as any I’ve been around.” He mentioned officer Tabitha Hayes, who prevented a suicide attempt by kicking down a bathroom door and stopping the bleeding of a victim, who had slashed their own throat.

Wilson told the Community Relations Council meeting members that stolen metal “scrapping,” remains a problem locally, partly, he said, because there are a couple of recycling facilities in the Dundalk area.

Wilson told the Community Relations Council meeting members that there is an ongoing problem with church break-ins. Some have been hit repeatedly, Wilson said, with items, such as musical and sound equipment, likely to be pawned or sold through Craigslist.

“I know everyone wants to think a church is a safe place,” Wilson said, “but not to people with drug problems.”