Ryan Carter Police Capt. Larry Koch, who...
Ryan Carter
Police Capt. Larry Koch, who becomes the department’s deputy chief
this year, likens the importance of goals to a ship’s voyage.
“If you don’t set your course, you won’t ever know when you get
there,” he said. “You’ll never know when you achieve the goals.”
For police, this year’s goals include increasing diversity in the
ranks, combating identity theft through public education and cutting
down on alcohol sales to minors by conducting sting operations.
Police are also looking to upgrade the agency’s internal computer
network, giving officers more access in the field to link crime-
analysis programs, training records, property management, criminal
investigations, personnel and training records.
Though Burbank Police are touting a 5% crime decrease through most
of last year, the 2001 increase from the year be- fore was 6.7%. That
contrasted to Glen- dale’s8.3% decrease and Pasadena’s 7.2%.
To decrease crime, Koch reiterated the importance of a program
called Crime Analysis Directed Patrol Operation Project, which began
in 2001.
It combines tracking data with records management and various
computer programs to analyze crime. The officers and supervisors then
come up with ways to suppress the crime patterns. Koch said the hope
is every month, each bureau -- whether it’s patrol or investigations
-- will use crime-data analysis to solve and prevent crime patterns
seen during each shift, Koch said.
Koch also stressed a continuing goal to keep emergency response
times to less than three-and-a-half minutes and all calls under 15
minutes.
On the Fire Department side, officials hope to install a new
system of computers and software that would give firefighters in the
field faster access to information, including building layouts.
After several months of renovation, officials plan to reopen the
main emergency operations center. Disaster Preparedness Coordinator
Rich Baenen sees the revamped center as a kind of mission control,
complete with video display monitors, computer consoles and new
conduits for increased cabling.
Officials will continue a marketing campaign to increase
participation in the department’s Emergency Medical Services
Membership Program. In the program, residents pay a small monthly or
annual fee for ambulatory service rather than a large fee if the
service is ever needed.