Deerfield reports low crime in 2011

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Updated: March 24, 2012 8:56AM

Deerfield continues to be one of the safest communities in the state.

That was the conclusion of Police Chief John Sliozis as he presented the police department’s annual report to the village board Tuesday night.

Also Tuesday, trustees held a public hearing on possible electric aggregation within Deerfield and took final action on an ordinance on alternative energy rules.

Crime index low

Last year, the community’s crime index was 202, one of the lowest in the area, Sliozis said. The crime index count is the total number of offenses in eight crime categories as defined by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, he added.

Four of the crime categories are murder, criminal sexual assault, aggravated assault and battery, and robbery. Following those are the property crimes of burglary, theft or larceny, motor vehicle theft and arson.

There were no murders and no aggravated batteries last year. There were two sexual assaults, one robbery and five burglaries, as well as 192 thefts and two vehicle thefts — totaling 202 crimes.

“Only five burglaries is incredible considering the economy. We’d like to think the numbers are this low because of the work the department is doing,” Sliozis said.

There was also a significant decrease in reported incidents of criminal damage to property. There were 36, among the lowest numbers in the last five years, Sliozis added.

And there were 42 reported incidents of vandalism in 2011, which is a decrease from 2010, which had 61 incidents, he noted.

Mayor Harriet Rosenthal asked about gang activity in the village. Trustee Barbara Struthers wanted to know about drug use. Sliozis indicated nothing like that of any significance was going on in the village.

Electricity,
alternative energy

In other matters, the Village Board held a public hearing about the proposed plan to offer residents and small business an electricity aggregation plan. No one spoke against it, and the matter will go to referendum March 20.

Also, an ordinance amending village code to allow several forms of alternative energy — including wind, solar and geothermal energy systems — was approved by trustees Tuesday on the second reading.