Violent crimes and auto thefts have decreased in Redmond since 2008 and the most pervasive trend is “crimes of opportunity,” such as car prowls when people leave valuables in plain sight, according to Redmond Assistant Police Chief Larry Gainer and Commander Shari Shovlin.

Gainer and Shovlin were guest speakers at October’s First Friday Coffee Chat at the Redmond Senior Center. They answered citizens’ questions about safety and crime prevention.

Shovlin said 2009 year-to-date calls to Redmond Police are down six percent since last year. This was a surprise, she said, because in a poor economy, most people would expect the volume to go up.

She said the public safety levy which passed in 2007 keeps staffing levels healthy and allows police to be proactive. “And we work very closely with the community,” said Shovlin. “Community outreach is a vital and important part.”

The first questions at the Coffee Chat concerned a mugging on the Sammamish River Trail and problems at Marymoor Park. Questioners wanted to know if Redmond Police had jurisdiction to respond to such calls. Gainer explained that the Sammamish River Trail and Marymoor Park fall under King County Parks and that Redmond Police don’t patrol them or have a substantial presence, but do respond to “mutual aid calls” if asked to assist King County Sheriffs.

“Generally speaking, as a Redmond resident, I think it’s very safe,” Gainer said, referring to Marymoor Park.

Shovlin noted that during soccer season, more car prowls occur at Marymoor and City of Redmond Parks because people leave purses in their cars.

A Watershed Preserve Trail user wanted to know how police or sheriffs would find a caller if they had a problem out on the trail — and if 911 was a proper way to seek help, depending on the type of problem.

Shovlin said calling 911 is a proper response but it’s essential to listen to the operator and let them know whether you are in the City of Redmond or King County.

In an ensuing discussion, some attendees said 911 callers are stressed and it may be hard to give a proper location.

“You’re right, you’re under duress … but it’s the dispatcher’s job to know the streets, know the problem areas,” said Shovlin. “It is a great nugget to have, they’re very informed.”

Technology helps, too, when some people have phones with GPS capability.

That led to a discussion of leaving items such as GPS units inside cars.

“It can be a pain to take things out of your car,” said Shovlin, “but when we ask criminals why they target a car, 99 percent of the time, it is a crime of opportunity.”

Another guest asked about vandalism, such as cars getting “keyed,” where someone scratches a key along the body of a vehicle.

She admitted that when it happened to some neighbors, they didn’t bother to call the police because “it already happened.”

Shovlin explained, “We have to know about problems in order to respond.”

Police will step up patrols in areas known to be “hot spots.” But it’s also important to call as soon as possible after the incident. Calling a week or a month later doesn’t do much good.

Another person wondered how many car prowls were committed by Redmond residents, as opposed to outsiders who come to the area because it’s relatively affluent.

If someone’s stealing loose change from your car, it’s likely a local teenager, Shovlin said. The more serious car prowls often are committed by savvy criminals who come from as far north as Bellingham and as far south as Tacoma because Redmond’s known as a nice area, with nice cars — and because people leave things in their cars.

Other questions involved panhandling and youth gang activity.

Panhandling does not become a police matter unless the person is obstructing traffic or harassing citizens, the police explained. Most panhandlers are not aggressive and will leave a location when a business asks them not to approach customers.

Shovlin said SROs (School Resource Officers) have been an excellent deterrent to gang activity. There is a full-time SRO at Redmond High School and another who splits time between Redmond Junior High and Evergreen Junior High. A third SRO is now being added so that each of the junior highs will have police presence.

For more information about crime prevention or how to respond to crime activity in the City of Redmond, call or e-mail Redmond Police community outreach facilitator Jim Bove at (425) 556-2545 or jbove@redmond.gov.