By Janice Morse
The Cincinnati Enquirer

HAMILTON - Serious crime here surged more than 20 percent in 2001 over the previous year. Nationwide, the average increase was only 2 percent, according to newly released FBI statistics.

Police Chief Neil Ferdelman thinks the city's flagging economy, including the loss of 3,000 jobs in three years, might be pushing more people to steal, take drugs and get into fights.

Much of Butler County is booming while Hamilton, its county seat, is struggling to revitalize old buildings, attract new business and fight more crime with fewer officers.

The FBI figures were released Monday, eight days before Hamilton voters will decide a levy that would put nine more police officers on the streets. The national increase was the first in a decade.

"I think these numbers validate what we've been saying about the workload officers have," the chief said Wednesday. "This is just an accident waiting to happen."

The Hamilton police department already knew it had problems keeping up with a rising number of 911 calls. But the FBI statistics provide a basis for "frightening comparisons" statewide and nationally, the chief said. Departmental analyses of the figures show:

Hamilton's rate of reported serious crimes (the FBI tracks killings, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny and vehicle theft) is 9,202 per 100,000 people - more than double the national average.

Among Ohio's 10 most populous cities, Hamilton has the second-highest number of reported serious crimes per officer - 47.42.

Of those 10 cities, only Cincinnati and Hamilton had more than 20 percent increases in reported serious crimes. Although Cincinnati's locally compiled crime numbers differ from those reported by the FBI, Hamilton's match. Still, the tabulations represent only a snapshot of crime trends.

The FBI warns against using its reported-crime figures as the sole barometer of criminal activity.

Many crimes go unreported, and a complex mix of factors can affect reported crime rates. Among them: population characteristics, police aggressiveness, commuting patterns, economic conditions, climate, cultural influences, and citizens' attitudes about police.

Even if it's difficult to say why, Chief Ferdelman says there's no doubt that city police are busier.

In 2001, city police responded to 74,267 calls - an average of 635 calls per officer and 2,655 more than in 2000.

The trend is continuing, Chief Ferdelman said, noting the department was on pace to send officers to 78,000 calls by year's end.

Meanwhile, a city budget crunch forced the police department to leave four vacancies unfilled, dropping the force to 118.

For Chief Ferdelman, all the numbers lead to the same conclusion: "Serious crime is climbing and the number of Hamilton police officers is declining."

Rather than being embarrassed by the statistics, the chief said, "I see this as a challenge to turn this around. Given the proper resources, we can do that."

E-mail jmorse@enquirer.com