Crime Down in Carrollwood and Northdale, Sheriff's Office Says

Crime dropped in both Carrollwood and Northdale between 2009 and 2010, according to figures released by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

In District 1, which includes Northdale and the northern end of Carrollwood, there were 1,303 less crimes committed from January to December 2009 compared to January to December 2010, according to the sheriff's office.

In District 3, which includes the portion of Carrollwood that is south of Fletcher Avenue and North Dale Mabry, there was a decrease of 1,138 crimes during the same time period.

With the sheriff's office operating with less manpower - 1.6 deputies per 1,000 residents in Hillsborough County - what gives?

Carrollwood and Northdale residents, business owners and law enforcement officials say the area's neighborhood watch presence and efforts by deputies to target repeat offenders are reasons for the downturn.

Some say providing information to more vulnerable populations, such as seniors, is helping keep criminal activity at bay.

Case in point: A a few months ago allowed dozens of seniors to learn more about elder abuse.

Dep. Chris DePolis, who works in the community outreach division of the sheriff's office, helped organize the event. He also works with local neighborhood watch groups. DePolis said he attributes the decrease in crime to the law enforcement focusing on repeat offenders, adding that 6 percent of the population commit 90 percent of its crimes.

"A lot of it has to do with crime analysis and the intelligence-led policing model that the SO (sheriff's office) leads now," DePolis said. "I think crimes of opportunity are also way down. We're working on keeping better track of those crimes, and it's paying back."

DePolis said neighborhood watch groups are also a piece of the puzzle.

"I wouldn't say neighborhood watch alone has solved the problem," he said, "but it's another tool in the toolbox."

Bill Castens, who has lived in Northdale for 30 years, said he's not surprised by the statistics.

"We've never really had a large crime problem in Northdale," said Castens, who is also treasurer of the Northdale Civic Association. "We have a mature community. Most of the homes are 30 years old, and probably half are paid off. It gives you a stable base of people."

Castens, who is also crime watch coordinator for a 60-home block on Landscape Street in Northdale, said he regularly talks to his neighbors and keeps an eye on anyone who looks suspicious in the community.

"It's boring," he said, "because we hardly every get episodes in our neighborhood."

Heather Tomasello, who owns Liberty Tax Service in North Florida Avenue, said she's always felt safe in her Carrollwood office. Even when she works late at night.

"Part of it is that community feeling of people looking out for each other," she said. "In our (shopping) plaza, we check in with each other and know what's going on."

Most important to keeping crime statistics low, Tomasello said, is working with other members of the community.

"I think when people have a sense of community and they feel connected," she said, "they don't want to do anything that hurts others."

See an attached PDF to review the sheriff's office's report on crime in Districts 1 and 3.

To find crime statistics in your zip code, go to the sheriff's office's county crime map here. Learn more about District 1 here, and District 3 here.