Westwego crime down 16 percent last year, police chief says | NOLA ...

Westwego saw a 16 percent drop in its crime rate in 2012 compared with the year before, with increases seen only in the assault and homicide categories; the city had one murder during the year. "We hadn't had one in years," Police Chief Dwayne "Poncho" Munch said Monday night of the lone homicide.

Unincorporated Jefferson Parish and Gretna also saw declines in crime in 2012, law enforcement officials reported.

In Westwego, assaults were up 11 percent, or 14 more assaults than 2011, Munch said. "We've had an uptick in domestic violence arrests," he said. In the 134 assault cases, which include domestic violence complaints, Westwego police made 139 arrests, Munch said.

In other categories, Munch said robberies were down 33 percent; burglaries were down 30 percent; thefts were down 32 percent; and auto thefts were down 25 percent.

Westwego's homicide happened in January 2012, when Al Williams, 33, of Marrero, was found shot in his neck in a car in the 1000 block of Spruce Street.?

Westwego police investigated four rapes during the year; three were date rapes, for which arrests were made, and the fourth is unsolved, Munch said.

Munch made no secret of his intent to seek another term in the April 6 municipal primaries, when Westwego's mayor and City Council also are up for re-election. As evidence of his political aspirations, Munch told the council during its meeting Monday night that his office has collected about $4 million in grants and through asset forfeitures during the past 11 years, which coincides with the length of time he's been chief.

That includes $200,000 the department received this month from a federal Drug Enforcement Agency regional task force, part of a $1 million take the group got in a New Orleans doctor-shopping case, Munch said. Westwego's police officer assigned to that task force made the case, Munch said.

Source: http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2013/01/westwego_overall_crime_down_16.html

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