Matawan has lowest crime rate in 9 years
State Uniform Crime
Report index drops from 194 to 169 last year
By paul dowd
Staff Writer

MATAWAN — Borough crime is down to its lowest rate since 1991, according to the annual crime statistics released by the state police.

The state Uniform Crime Report, which was just released for 1999, compiles statistics for violent and nonviolent crimes. Violent crime comprises murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault. Nonviolent crime comprises burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft.

The borough’s total crime index dropped from 194 in 1998 to 169 in 1999. There were 12 violent crimes and 157 nonviolent crimes reported in 1999, both decreases from the previous year.

In 1991, the index totaled 159. It rose to 174 in 1992, peaked at 209 in 1995, then dropped to 182 and 171 before rising to 194 in 1998.

Capt. George Magnenat credits the department’s community policing program, which includes the bicycle patrol.

"The bicycle patrol creates more public awareness and adds a higher police presence," said Magnenat.

The bike patrols are dispatched two to three times a week, weather permitting, and they cover the town’s entire 2.26 square miles, Magnenat said. This leads to more diligent patrols and more visibility of police, he said, which cuts down on petty thefts.

This may account for the reduction in larcenies in 1999, which dropped from 134 to 114.

The crime rate per 1,000 was 17.8 for this borough of 9,487 residents, down from 20.5 in 1998. Magnenat believes personnel has made a difference.

"We have a younger, more eager personnel, young guys who are highly trained," Magnenat said of the 21-member department.

There were no murders either year, and rapes and robberies remained the same, two each in 1998 and 1999, while aggravated assaults dropped from 10 to 8.

In the nonviolent crime category, burglaries dropped slightly, from 38 to 35, and motor vehicle thefts remained the same, eight each year.

The report also includes incidents of arson, domestic violence and bias crime, although they are not included in the index.

The only significant increase in all areas of crime came in the reports of domestic violence, which rose from 110 in 1998 to 141 last year.

Arson increased from zero to one, while bias crimes dropped from two to one.

The department recently received a $30,000 state grant to upgrade equipment.

According to Lt. Robert McGowan, the department will purchase three video cameras with the grant money, to be installed in three primary patrol cars. A fourth one may be installed next year. McGowan is hoping for a November installation for the initial three cameras.

Also, the grant money will allow the department to "computerize," McGowan said. He is hopeful everyone in the department, including the five civilian employees, will be on the system by the new year. McGowan said the computers will enable the department to use more efficient tracking of everything, including arrests, patrol miles and DWIs (driving while intoxicated).