Still, even with this boom, the crime rate has dropped in half from 1982 through 1996. More than four-fifths of violent crimes and a third of property offenses resulted in arrests that year, making it 13th best in solving crimes among the 48 county towns with a police department, according to a review of the FBI Uniform Crime Reports. They don't want it to become the type of commuter suburb where neighbors don't know each other and where teen-agers are left to their own devices until their parents get home from work. For police, this means a strong emphasis on building ties with the community, whether it is going to retirement communities to warn residents of telephone scams or to visit schools to gain students' trust. Years ago, there was a strong family commitment.
Juvenile crime is up, in the county and in the country.
Not only are parents home less, but when they are home, they seem less willing to control their children compared to parents a generation ago, in McCormack's view. Police had a problem last year with children playing at the high school, unattended late at night. Some parents, though, complained that police were harassing their children. Too many parents today are always looking for help from police and educators, he said. They need to become part of the partnership.