By Michael D. Clark
The Cincinnati Enquirer

MONROE - Crime is shadowing the growth of this small city but officials here are happy to report it's not serious crime.

Monroe city officials say it's not surprising that police runs are increasing as more people move into the expanding community that straddles the Butler-Warren county line. But they are relieved to find that serious crimes remain nearly nonexistent in Monroe, despite almost doubling its population since 1990.

In 2002, according to Monroe Police Chief Ernest Howard, the city recorded its highest number of police runs since Monroe became a city in 1995.

Howard said police made 8,421 runs last year, a 22 percent increase from the 6,911 runs in 2001. In 1997 the city's police force recorded 5,207 runs and the annual total has increased each year since.

"We don't have a whole lot of serious things going on here," said Howard, a 42-year police veteran.

"Most of the service runs are for accidents, property or petty crimes."

There have been no homicides in Monroe since 1990 and only one in adjacent Lemon Township, which is also patrolled by Monroe police. Assaults and domestic violence were down last year.

"We have some growing pains because with growth you'll have more chances for crime," said Howard, the city's chief of police since 1990.

More than 8,100 people now call Monroe home, up from 4,500 in 1990.

Monroe, which is equidistant from Cincinnati and Dayton, has a large transitory population of travelers going through the city's borders on some of Greater Cincinnati's busiest roadways including Interstate 75, Ohio 63, Cincinnati-Dayton Road and Route 4.

"We do have a lot of people passing through and that can create problems for us. We're liable to run into anything," Howard said.

Howard credits Monroe's city council for supporting the police force with funding, equipment and facilities. The police department has headquarters in the new city administration building opened in 1999.

Monroe Mayor Michael Morris said the relative lack of serious crime with the heavy traffic is "a source of pride and it speaks well of all the people that are moving into our community."

Morris credited good policing for the absence of serious crime and said that city-commissioned studies have shown that Monroe should not need to add significantly to its police force, which has gone from 12 officers in 1997 to 17currently, until the city's population reaches about 11,000.

Don Earley, a 31-year resident of Monroe, said he feels as safe as ever.

"We have to advance and grow as a community. But we kind of look out for each other around here while we do it," said Earley.

E-mail mclark@enquirer.com