Mark J. Becker, Chief of Police, made the following release:
I am pleased to report the totals of both violent crime and property crime occurrences that were reported to the East Chicago Police Department in 2013 and subsequently submitted to the FBI for inclusion in their Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program.
The total number of crimes reported to the FBI in 2013 compared to that of 2012 reflects a reduction in overall crime (violent and property) of 6%.
A breakdown for each of the 8 crimes that consist of the FBI’s UCR report are as follows:
2013 UCR Crime Totals
Violent Crimes (226) an increase of 2% from 2012 (222)
- Murder -11
- Rape- 15
- Robbery – 113
- Aggravated Assault –87
Property Crimes (1,731) a reduction of 6 ½ % from 2012 (1,851)
- Burglary – 327
- Larceny – 1,118
- Vehicle Theft – 283
- Arson – 3
Crime Total - Lowest in at least 18 Years-
In 2013, a total of 1,957 crimes were reported to the FBI’s UCR, the lowest since 1995. (Records prior to 1995 were not available) This continuing downward trend follows reductions reported in 2012 (2,073), which were then deemed to be lowest number of crimes reported in 12 years.
In 2011, the City of East Chicago had experienced crimes totaling 2,196, which, based upon a per capita analysis, represented an unusually high incident rate. Since that time, both the civilian and sworn members of the department have undertaken several new initiatives and strategies so as to reduce crime and bring about the lowest total in at least 18 years.
Annual Crime Totals Reported to the FBI by the East Chicago Police Department
| Year | Violent Crime Totals | Property Crime Totals | Total Crime |
| 2013 | 226 | 1731 | 1957 |
| 2012 | 222 | 1851 | 2073 |
| 2011 | 255 | 1941 | 2196 |
| 2010 | 210 | 1959 | 2169 |
| 2009 | 249 | 1830 | 2079 |
| 2008 | 300 | 1889 | 2189 |
Officers Initiated 10,600 Traffic Stops (+185%)
Self- initiated policing has increased dramatically. The Officers are extremely active and as a consequence, the city has quickly become known for its strict enforcement of traffic violations. That increased activity has deterred individuals from using our streets to carry out more serious offenses.
In 2013, coupled with efforts of the Region STOP Team, the department totaled 10,600 traffic stops. That represents a 185% increase in traffic stops, just over 29 a day, which in large part is attributable to the continued downward crime trend.
Clearly there is a direct correlation to increased police presence and crime reduction.
| Year | Number of Traffic Stops- Includes Warnings |
| 2013 | 10600 |
| 2012 | 3717 |
| 2011 | 3945 |
| 2010 | 4524 |
| 2009 | 4806 |
| 2008 | 5702 |
New initiatives such as the East Chicago STOP Team, a precursor to the Region STOP Team, a commitment to engaging the community and strategic partnerships with Federal, State and local agencies are also credited with this decrease. We certainly remain grateful for the cooperation and assistance of our professional partners.
The invaluable assistance provided by Dr. Joseph Ferrandino and his staff at IUN in the form of crime mapping has been a welcome addition to our efforts. The analytical assistance provided by IUN has allowed our officers to identify problem areas and then aggressively address both existing “hot spots” as well as developing areas.
The East Chicago STOP Team, formed in April of 2013, is credited with over 1,160 traffic stops, 239 arrests and over $31,000 in United States Currency, which is now being pursued for forfeiture.
Whether support personnel, patrol, crime scene or detectives, all played a critical role in the success we have experienced this past year.
The department is grateful for the continued support and professionalism of the dispatchers who are a critical part of our team. It is a stressful position and we certainly have placed an added demand on them. We are also thankful to our City Court system, our Judge, Clerk and their staff for their support as well.
This is an exciting time for the City of East Chicago and the East Chicago Police Department. Our officers continue to develop new initiatives, increase our partnerships with our community and maintain our dedication to insuring that East Chicago remains a safe city to reside, work and/or visit.