This Week News
I have spent most of my law enforcement career protecting New Albany, and I’m proud to say that our town is one of the safest in Ohio. Major crimes often occurring in larger cities are virtually non-existent here. Lesser crimes such as assault and burglary occur less than once a month. In fact, in all of 2013, New Albany experienced a total of 15 adult felony arrests and only eight juvenile felony or misdemeanor arrests.
These statistics reveal an extremely low volume of crime. Still, statistics are of little comfort to families who have been victimized by criminals and likely feel violated, threatened and less safe.
Most crimes in New Albany occur due to opportunity and easy access. Some don’t lock their doors and windows or they leave garage doors open. Others leave valuables in plain view in vehicles parked outside – and garage door openers left in those vehicles offer free access to your home. These actions create prime opportunities for thieves, most of whom are looking for quick strikes with little potential for detection or conflict. Small steps, such as locking your doors and keeping valuables out of view, will definitely reduce the potential for you and your loved ones to become victims of burglars and intruders who could hurt you.
As a precaution that can assist in claiming stolen items, I highly encourage you to mark or engrave your valuables. Clearly marked items greatly assist in the reclaiming process. Other good practices include keeping receipts for items and taking pictures of items in case anything gets stolen. The same actions you take for insurance purposes can improve your chances of recovering stolen, and sometimes very meaningful, items.
In this tight-knit community, many of you have provided tremendous assistance in helping us catch or deter criminals. The city utilizes many different communications channels, including working with the media and information sent directly to you through social media (www.facebook.com/newalbanyohio; www.twitter.com/newalbanyohio); our city e-newsletter (which you can register to receive at www.newalbanyohio.org); and, when time is of the essence, our Code RED call-out network that sends information to your phone or email address. We can’t always provide a lot of detail with ongoing investigations, and we will continue to respect the privacy of victims, but we also recognize that you are valued partners in our efforts to keep the community safe.
Our school district partners promote that if you see something, say something and report it. We couldn’t agree more. If you see or hear something that feels out of the ordinary, call the police at 614-855-1234. If you believe a suspicious activity could be a life threatening emergency, please call 9-1-1.
Greg Jones has been a New Albany police officer since 1989. He was a sergeant for more than two decades and was appointed chief in 2013.
The small number of crimes occurring in New Albany is often the result of opportunity. Simple steps will make your home and family less susceptible. Don’t make it easy for criminals to gain access to your valuables.
By Greg Jones, Police Chief
