NORMAN CRIME RATES ON THE DECLINE

NORMAN -- Crime is down in Norman, and it didn't have very far to go.
Serious crimes were down 7.3 percent in Norman in 2001 from 2000.

Norman Police Chief Phil Cotten said the total number of crimes was even
more impressive than the percent decrease.

Overall, there were 3,619 part one crimes and 13,770 total crimes in 2001.
With the exception of 3,410 crimes in 1999, 2001 saw fewer part one crimes
than any year in at least 25 years, Cotten said.

Part one crimes include homicide, rape, robbery, felony assault, burglary,
larceny, motor vehicle theft and arson.

"Primarily, the low crime rate is due to the high quality of life and the
environment in the city of Norman," Cotten said. "There are lots of cities
of 100,000 with a crime rate that's triple the rate in Norman."

Cotten said the crime rate in Norman is lower than both the state and
national averages.

"I think we have a really good police department because they address
things before they get out of hand," Cotten said. "The credit can also go
back to the citizens. Norman is a good place to live with good citizens."

Norman did have three homicides in Norman, but those were the first
homicides in Norman since 1997.

Cotten said two of the homicides were shaken babies, and the third homicide
was when a father stabbed and killed his son before he was shot by police
in his front yard. The police shooting is considered justifiable, he said.

In all three homicides, the person who died was related to his or her killer.

Compared to other cities the size of Norman, three homicides is
exceptionally low, Cotten said.

"In some inner city places that are Norman's size, you can see 50, 60, 70
homicides in a year," Cotten said.

Some part one crimes went up. There were 36 rapes in 2001 compared to 27 in
2000, and there were 161 felony assaults in 2001 and 134 in 2000. Robbery,
burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft and arson were all down. There were
more larcenies that any other part one crime in 2001 with 2,301. Burglaries
were second with 904.

Cotten said even though crime is down, there are some areas that concern him.

"In 10 years, drug abuse violations have tripled," Cotten said.

There were 963 drug abuse violations, 633 driving under the influence
arrests, 349 liquor law violations and 586 drunkenness violations in 2001.
There were a total of 2,531 violations involving drugs or alcohol. Cotten
said officers made an effort to educate sororities, fraternities and
businesses about drug and alcohol violations in 2001 to help bring the
number down.

A crime area that went up dramatically was local warrant arrests. There
were 641 local warrant arrests in 2001 and 284 in 2000.

"One of the goals of the local patrol division was to serve outstanding
warrants," Cotten said. "There was a conscientious effort to get those served."

Traffic accidents were also down in 2001, with 2,949 last year and 3,146 in
2000 -- a 6.3 percent reduction.

Cotten said of those accidents, the human toll was too high. Eleven people
were killed and 762 people were injured.

Of the 11 people killed in traffic accidents, one was riding a motorcycle
and seven were not wearing seat belts.