Crime is up in Wildwood, although the number of cases remains small.
Police Chief Randy Parmer told city commissioners Monday that property crime rose more than 70 percent during the last quarter while violent crimes were up 12.5 percent.
He said a special enforcement unit is having an impact reducing problems on the city’s west side.
Parmer also honored two officers as Officer of the Year and Officer of the Quarter.
The chief said burglaries doubled from five to 10 compared to the previous quarter, largely due to thefts from construction sites in The Villages of Southern Oaks.
He credited the department’s criminal investigation unit with recovering about $20,000 worth of stolen cabinets and solving a business theft case.
“They’ve done a tremendous job of clearing some of these cases,” Parmer said.
Aggravated assaults rose to seven from four and the two robberies were one fewer than the prior quarter. The city had one rape and no murders.
The chief also credited a special enforcement unit with reducing problems on the city’s west side, where residents had complained of racing cars, vandalized light poles and drinking outside a daycare center.
During 20 days patrolling the Jackson Street area, Parmer said the unit made 40 arrests and more than 150 traffic stops. No massive block parties have occurred since late last summer. Residents also have said they noticed improvement.
Angela Velez, who joined the department in 2019 and served in the U.S. Marines, was honored by Parmer and the Wildwood American Legion post as Officer of the Year.
The chief said she handled 1,100 calls last year and volunteered to become the department’s traffic homicide investigator.
Parmer honored David Perry as Officer of the Quarter. As community affairs officer, Perry supervised the Christmas with a Cop program, collected donations of $12,000 and distributed toys to needy children.
