The Howard County police force numbers some 300 officers handling 86,000 calls each year. So the addition of eight officers through a new federal grant might not sound like much more than the proverbial drop in a bucket. But it could have an even greater impact if, as police officials expect, the new cops alleviate some of the pressure on stressed veterans who have worked overtime and left their desks for the streets during a personnel shortage. What's more, 14 vacancies are likely to be ++ filled next year, increasing police visibility in the county and offering additional relief to the staff.
The eight new positions are being made possible by money from the federal crime bill passed last summer. As stipulated by the Clinton administration, the funds must be used for community policing programs, such as the one in Howard and many other U.S. metropolitan jurisdictions. Indeed, the Howard community policing program is said to be partly responsible for eliciting the higher number of calls for assistance in the county.
Alarmingly, ever more of these problems are linked to youths. The number of juvenile arrests in Howard was reported three months ago as having already surpassed the total for all of 1993. Teens are committing more violent crimes than before, though the offense most common to their age group is automobile theft. A record number of car thefts by teens, nearly 1,000, occurred last year.
Community policing, which aims to create a friendly police presence in troubled areas, could be effective in attacking some of the problems that can lead kids to such crimes. As Howard Police Chief James Robey notes, "Until the social issues that foster crime change, nothing's going to change."
However, the police can only do so much. Citizens, too, can battle crime, and in various ways. They can exert a positive influence on their kids. They can watch out for what happens on their blocks. They can keep their homes locked and well-lighted at night. They can stymie auto thieves by not letting idling cars sit unattended, by not leaving keys in ignitions and by equipping their vehicles with anti-theft devices. Any number of new police officers will be welcome. But people should remember they can take simple steps that would considerably lessen the burden on the officers already laboring for the safety of the county.