The statistics only tell a portion of the story. The Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center recently released its 2011 “Crime in Alabama” report.

The report compares rats of reported crimes in 2011 to those in 2010 for several local agencies, including Troy Police; Troy University Police; the Pike County Sheriff’s Department; and the Brundidge Police Department.

Burglaries, thefts and robberies were up in some jurisdictions, down in others.

But as law enforcement officers have been quick to point out over the past two years, property crimes are an ongoing concern. Robberies; burglaries; thefts from vehicles … all of these property crimes still nag at our law enforcement officials. And while the officials in all departments do an outstanding job of tracking and solving the cases, we know that preventing these types of crimes takes the participation of the public, as well. Taking precautions – such as locking your vehicle, not leaving valuables in view, keeping doors and windows locked at your home, and being alert to your surroundings and your neighbors – are important safety measures for everyone to follow

Troy, Brundidge, the university and Pike County are safe places to live and do business. Our community isn’t crime free – that would be unrealistic – but we enjoy a level of safety and comfort that many other communities do not. So while our law enforcement officers go above and beyond to protect us, let’s do our part by being proactive and safe.