LIMA — A computer software error has forced Lima Police Chief Kevin Martin to retract earlier crime number reports that showed that crime had decreased in 2015, with the corrected numbers actually showing an increase in crime last year.
Martin released the updated crime figures at Mayor David Berger’s weekly news conference Wednesday and said crime increased 4.4 percent in the city last year, with the number of 2015 offenses going from 2,863 as originally reported to 3,380. Crime numbers for 2014 were also affected, because the department installed new records management software in September of that year. The originally reported total offenses for that year were 3,134, with the correct total being 3,238.
“There was a code missing in the software that prevented all the relevant data regarding simple assaults from being tabulated,” Martin said. “The code that was missing was simple assault domestic violence reports, which were not tabulated with other simple assault reports.”
Martin also said the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Uniform Crime Reporting office was notified of the error. He emphasized that the other statistics in the report, including homicides, rapes and robberies were correct, having been verified after officers hand counted reports from sample months throughout the year.
“The only number that was impacted was the simple assault numbers, which, in turn, affected our total,” he said.
Martin expressed regret for the error and said it was important for the public to have the correct information.
“I want to apologize for this,” he said. “It was not anything that was done intentionally, but I felt it was important to get the record corrected. I want people’s opinions of the Lima Police Department to be based on actuality and fact, rather than false information. Again, it was not anything that was intentionally done, but regardless of whether or not it was intentional, I made it, so I am here to get the record corrected.”
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