Sunnyvale Police Blotter

Joined: Oct 6, 2007

Comments: 72

We just had Public Safety Day in Leadership Sunnyvale, and Media Day last month, both of which talked about this stuff. In 2006, there were 2500 reported incidents in Sunnyvale, down 3% from 2005, and part of a general declining crime trend (despite some campaign rhetoric to the contrary last November). That's 6.8 reported incidents in Sunnyvale per day, most of them relatively minor incidents like this.

However, the crime reports that appear in the Merc and the Sun are currently and always have been *a small portion* of the actual reported crimes, and nobody will tell you why they publish what they publish (and what they don't). Just going on the averages, there should have been 47 crimes in Sunnyvale over this period, and the Merc printed details of only 18. You cannot tell from the Merc whether crime has increased or decreased in the past week - only that they clearly had additional column inches for more reports in this issue.

As a data point, there was a felony pursuit on Jan 7 or 8 that isn't listed here. Sunnyvale Police pulled over a vehicle for a moving violation, an occupant took off running, and there was a foot pursuit over fences and into back yards. Sunnyvale took advantage of the Sheriff's helicopter that happened to be taking off from Moffett, and they caught the guy hiding under a pool table (without incident), finding out later that he had a felony warrant outstanding. This would seem to be a serious incident and it isn't mentioned in the Merc's report.

I point this out because I'm convinced that newspaper police blotters are only good for gossip about your neighborhood or something you happened to see personally, and nothing else - certainly not as any indication of trends.

Kawi

Joined: Apr 28, 2007

Comments: 419

ISP: Ontario, CA

They aren't forthcoming with crime data because it would tarnish the "safest city" image they've worked so hard to create. You're right in that the crime blotter reports are only a fraction of what goes on. Anyone with a $50 radio frequency scanner can tell you that there is more police and crime activity in the city than is led to believe. For a department that claims to be so pro-active with preventing crime, wouldn't it make sense to inform the public about a string of auto burglaries that are occurring in the same neighborhood? Wouldn't public awareness help raise the chances of catching the subject or force him/her to move to another area?

Joined: Oct 6, 2007

Comments: 72

You misunderstood me. I was told Public Safety makes the full data available to the press - it's the *press* that chooses what to publish and what not publish. I don't know if any of that's true, though. But I believe DPS only withholds specific things, such as rape victim names, names of minors accused of crimes, etc.

Sunnyvale is far safer than Mountain View or Santa Clara, statistically. For 2006, per capita crime rate for Santa Clara was 31.6, for Mountain View was 51.05, and for Sunnyvale was 21.31 per 1000 residents. This is using stats from the CA Department of Justice and googling city populations. Cupertino's stats aren't available because they're lumped in with the County Sheriff's department stats (it's probably high - those Apple folks are a violent bunch...).

Public Safety tries to be proactive. One of their officers sends crime alert emails to any neighborhood association that asks him to (to my homeowners association too). Maybe you're just not plugged in to your neighborhood association? I don't know how Sunnyvale's programs compare to other cities' programs, though. What aren't they doing that they should?

Groucho

“Man Bites Dog”

Joined: Dec 12, 2005

Comments: 359

Sunnyvale

ISP: Sunnyvale, CA

Joke Boy makes a good point about the press choosing to publish what they want -- however, the Dept of Safety should shoulder at least a small part of the blame for communications. That is, I would much rather have posted this pointing to the Sunnyvale Police website, rather than the Merc... but there is no publication as such online for citizens to peruse. I think that the Merc chooses to publish what they do in a haphazard and unplanned way. It's probably a direct spill-over from the limitations of print media. Whatever goes in print (limited space) is what they are publishing.

Joined: Oct 6, 2007

Comments: 72

Do other departments in other cities do this?

Crime reports may very well tell residents where crimes are happening, but they probably also tell criminals where enforcement is likely to be stepped up. Or maybe where residents are particularly vulnerable.

There are times when government needs to be open and proactive (publish to everyone), times when it needs to be open but reactive (publish only to people who request the information), and times when it needs to be closed. Deciding which is which isn't always obvious. I'm not sure how I'd classify crime reports. Opinions (with justifications)?

My first criticism of Sunnyvale will always be if something simply doesn't work, or if Sunnyvale doesn't do something that's obvious and that every other city does. I'm not sure the crime reports fall under this. Next level of criticism takes more deliberation and is rarely cut-and-dried.

sunshine

Oakland, CA

I was watching the channel 2 news last night and they showed a picture of two burglery suspects wanted for multiple S'Vale break-ins...they even mentioned Ponderosa Ave. as the most recent! My 80 y/o mother lives in this neighborhood and i've been concerned for her security for some time due the empty parking lot on the side of her house. I'm now going to work towards getting an alarm system for her. She reads the Sun crime report and has felt secure that none of the crimes reported are near her...this "lack of disclosure" can give residents a false sense of security! I live in Santa Rosa and i can tell you that there's no public access to local crime reports and the local paper doesn't report much of anything.

Groucho

“Man Bites Dog”

Joined: Dec 12, 2005

Comments: 359

Sunnyvale

ISP: Sunnyvale, CA

joke_boy wrote:

Do other departments in other cities do this?

Not sure but I do know that Mt View faxes their report out daily to new organizations.

And this data seems definitely available in some form or another for public consumption. The problem is aggregating it and publishing it. Here's an interesting site that launched called "Everyblock.com " (http://sf.everyblock.com/crime/ )

They are only in SF, NY, and Chicago but they seem to have very complete data on crime for San Francisco.

Kawi

Joined: Apr 28, 2007

Comments: 419

ISP: United States

joke_boy wrote:

You misunderstood me. I was told Public Safety makes the full data available to the press - it's the *press* that chooses what to publish and what not publish. I don't know if any of that's true, though. But I believe DPS only withholds specific things, such as rape victim names, names of minors accused of crimes, etc.
Sunnyvale is far safer than Mountain View or Santa Clara, statistically. For 2006, per capita crime rate for Santa Clara was 31.6, for Mountain View was 51.05, and for Sunnyvale was 21.31 per 1000 residents. This is using stats from the CA Department of Justice and googling city populations. Cupertino's stats aren't available because they're lumped in with the County Sheriff's department stats (it's probably high - those Apple folks are a violent bunch...).
Public Safety tries to be proactive. One of their officers sends crime alert emails to any neighborhood association that asks him to (to my homeowners association too). Maybe you're just not plugged in to your neighborhood association? I don't know how Sunnyvale's programs compare to other cities' programs, though. What aren't they doing that they should?

I did, in a way, misunderstand you. Thanks for the clarification JB. But on that note, they say a lot of things. I imagine it was one of the higher ups from the department that made the statement at one of your Leadership classes. They say they disclose everything and have always made that claim. However, in my experience, they don't always follow through with that claim. It may have changed these days, but many years ago, the info that was disclosed to the media were purged (meaning, names and personal info were blacked out) copies of arrest reports and incident reports collated into a binder and left at the DPS front counter for those to see who requested it. Formal "press releases" were issued for major incidents...but not every major incident.

Kawi

Joined: Apr 28, 2007

Comments: 419

ISP: United States

joke_boy wrote:

Do other departments in other cities do this?

Yes, Menlo Park PD has a "daily log" and publishes crime statistics for their city. The best example is San Jose PD. They even go so far as to list geographical maps and crimes that occur in specific "reporting districts". The historic statistical info they make available is pretty good. Sunnyvale, on the other hand, doesn't do either freely.

the reallist

Joined: Dec 28, 2007

Comments: 61

east palo alto ca.650

ISP: Palo Alto, CA

you people dont have nothing to worry about those city are safer then the white house.quit getting all scared over some stolen stuff.com e to east palo alto if you want to see crime.lol

Izzy Newkirk

Mountain View, CA

I miss the days when all the S'vle Eichlers were full of rednecks, and
the only crime was Chuck E Cheese
closing it's El Camino restaruant.

MyNameIsMO

Joined: Feb 15, 2008

Comments: 2259

Castle Rock, CO

the reallist wrote:

you people dont have nothing to worry about those city are safer then the white house.quit getting all scared over some stolen stuff.com e to east palo alto if you want to see crime.lol

You are correct

Zane Scott

Do the Sunnyvale police have a website
where they publish the crimg blogs?

I read in the Mercury that San Jose was
going to have an online maps, which shows
locations of incidents.

I haven't looked at it yet, but I wish
Sunnyvale had similar.

They could do it like the USGS posts locations
of Earthquakes: colorcoded (red within the hour,
XXX within the last 24 hours, YYY within
the last week, etc.).

Kawi

Joined: Apr 28, 2007

Comments: 419

ISP: San Jose, CA

Sunnyvale does not. San Jose does.

Joined: Oct 6, 2007

Comments: 72

Palo Alto, Los Gatos, and some others have started showing their stuff here: www.crimereports.com . Click on California, then select "Palo Alto" from the dropdown list. It's pretty cool. I'd like to see Sunnyvale take part in this too (and I already emailed a councilmember suggesting it).

BrotherOblivion

“One of the Beaker People”

Joined: Aug 1, 2007

Comments: 491

Way Out West

ISP: Sunnyvale, CA

The absolute best Police Log is from the Arcata Eye,

http://www.arcataeye.com/index.php...

JS W

Mountain View, CA

joke_boy wrote:

Palo Alto, Los Gatos, and some others have started showing their stuff here: www.crimereports.com . Click on California, then select "Palo Alto" from the dropdown list. It's pretty cool. I'd like to see Sunnyvale take part in this too (and I already emailed a councilmember suggesting it).

I typed in "Sunnyvale, CA", and it lists exactly
one item: a theft that occured yesterday,
at what looks like practically
in front of the Sunnyvale Police Department!

coolidge cowboy

San Francisco, CA

not sure what's happening tonight but there is major "police activity" on our quiet little street(coolidge avenue), complete with half the Sunnyvale police department and men in camo, have not seen any air support but what the hell is happening?? I've been instructed not to go outside my house and my neighbors are not being allowed in! Unlikely I'll ever find out what is going on! If you have any info please post it. thanks.

Kawi

Joined: Apr 28, 2007

Comments: 419

Naw, it was only about a fifth of the department. No idea what brought them out, but I remember seeing Sunnyvale DPS patrol, DPS SWAT, a few SJPD MERGE (their version of a SWAT team) and a few SCPD officers milling around. I'm guessing SJPD was trying to locate someone/something/somebody. Be thankful, a few years ago DPS evacuated my entire complex for over 10 hours while they "searched" for some alleged murder suspect....

Kawi

Joined: Apr 28, 2007

Comments: 419