APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – The Appleton Police Department is in the process of putting together its 2018 crime stats.
With nearly 75,000 residents in the City of Appleton, crime rates are neither up or down.
Overall I can say Appleton still remains a safe community for all to live in,” said Capt. Polly Olson with the Appleton Police Department.
Residents say they agree.
“There are some crimes and some stuff going on but I don’t think it’s unbearable, it’s pretty good,” said Nick Lamb of Appleton.
Those that are new area compare it to their home country.
“It’s pretty safe, especially compared to Brazil, I think the hugest problem is the winter, besides that it’s pretty safe,” Gui Martin of Brazil told FOX 11.
The 2018 crime numbers from the Appleton Police Department aren’t final, but an early report is available.
Read the 2018 Appleton Police Department Year-in-Review report
The report shows the number of vehicles stolen in 2018 was 112. In 2017 there were 125 stolen vehicles.
Taking a look at robberies, both years are at 19.
In 2018, 12 rapes were reported, that’s down from 20 in 2017.
Early numbers show shoplifting went up with 410 reported in 2018 and 268 reported in 2017.
Preliminary numbers show shoplifting crime rates may have gone up but Olson tells FOX 11 that may be due to the help of social media and technology.
“Many of these crimes would have gone unsolved without the tools that we have available to us with social media.”
There was also one deadly officer-involved shooting in May of last year on Matthias Street.
“As you know the state requires that you have to have an outside agency to investigate those and that particular case, we asked Green Bay to come in and conduct that investigation,” said Olson.
All five officers involved were found to be justified in their use of force.
Overall, Captain Olson says Appleton’s 20-18 crime rates remained pretty stable.
Here’s a look at the department’s “use of force” incidents. That’s the amount of effort required by an officer in order to get someone to comply with the officer’s demands.
Last year, Appleton police officers had 53 “passive counter-measures.”
That’s where an officer had to put his or her hands on someone.
There were 18 incidents of “focused strikes”.
That includes any times an officer used their own hands or legs to strike someone.
The Department also had 18 incidents where an officer had to activate “electronic control devices” or stun guns.
There was only one case in which deadly force had to be used.
