Reserve officers join Gary police on streets

GARY | City officials said Wednesday newly certified reserve police officers have been called to duty with more in training.

More than 50 reserve officers have been in training this year, city spokeswoman LaLosa Burns said.

With new reserve officers joining the ranks, Mayor Rudy Clay took the opportunity to address all three shifts of the Gary Police Department as they gathered for roll call Wednesday. An announcement released by the city's press office quoted the mayor as saying, "Now that training is complete, the time is now for our Reserve Police to come off the bench and assist regular Gary Police Officers with fighting crime in our city."

The announcement came in the wake of the city's experiencing 12 homicides in October, the most in one month this year, although overall the annual number of homicides appears to be declining.

Clay reportedly commended Chief Reginald Harris, saying the overall crime rate in Gary has been reduced by 43 percent.

"We will continue to strive for a greater reduction in crime to enhance the safety of Gary citizens," the mayor said.

The newly trained reserve police officers will be working alongside full-time Gary officers, Clay said.

"The strategy is to have more police presence in an effort to stem and reduce crime in Gary, Indiana," he said.

Reserve police officers undergo the same training as full-time officers.

Burns said while new reserve police are becoming active, there is no major increase in the overall number of police this year over last.

"Some former reserves have moved into full-time positions and are in training," she said, adding the accounting includes retiring police officers and several resignations.

Burns said the 43 percent reduction in crime that the police chief noted refers to the FBI crime index for murder, rape, robbery and burglary.

Burns said city officials attribute the decline not only to the city's police officers but to the support of the city's citizens.

"Mayor Clay has said many times, without the help of the people, we would not have realized this reduction in the overall crime in our city this year," Burns said.

Crime statistics for Gary for the current year to date were not available Wednesday.

The FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program, however, shows Gary police in 2008 reported incidents of violent crime at 890, up from 669 in 2007. Violent crime is defined as offenses that involve force or the threat of force. For the same period, the UCR shows homicides and nonnegligent manslaughter at 48, down from 71.

For the current year, Gary has had 44 homicides year to date, according to the Lake County coroner's office.