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Crime Stats Hold Steady
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Homicides and robberies were down but rape, burglaries and family offenses up, according to the Riverbank Police Services 2010 year-end report comparing figures with those of 2009.

Listed for the first time this year in a printed, stapled booklet complete with text and photographs, the figures showed homicide dropped to one in 2010 from three in 2009 for a 67 percent decline and robberies went down from 11 to nine for an 18 percent drop. Rape climbed from one reported incident to two for a 100 percent rise, burglaries rose from 173 to 215 for a 24 percent increase and "family offenses" were up from 77 to 118 for a 53 percent rise.

Among other crime statistics, felony assault dropped from 173 to 166 for a 4 percent decline; larceny rose from 334 to 339 for a 1 percent increase; auto theft rose from 71 to 76 for a 7 percent rise and weapons offenses were up from 19 to 29 for a 53 percent climb.

As for traffic offenses, driving under the influence arrests rose from 50 to 55 for a 10 percent increase and traffic collisions were up from 104 to 140 for a 35 percent climb. Traffic collisions with injuries rose from 23 to 26 for a 13 percent increase.

Riverbank Police Services is comprised of 20 sworn deputies who provide law enforcement services to 22,200-plus residents, according to the report. This averages .90 deputies per 1,000 residents, a figure that is below the average recommended by the Police Officers Standards Training (POST) board. The city has set a five-year goal of 1.25 deputies per 1,000 residents. This timeline will likely have to be extended due to the current economic climate, the report noted. Sworn deputies are assisted by several reserve deputies, six civilian employees and numerous civilian volunteers.

Patrol officers made more than 17,600 calls for service during the year, including over 4,500 traffic stops and more than 2,500 issued citations.

Deputies contacted 827 suspicious vehicles/persons, investigated 213 traffic collisions and handled 1,326 domestic disturbance calls. Riverbank Police Services made a total of 678 arrests this past year.