News Flash
12-30-2006, 12:10 PM
Worch: Crime rate shows sheriff failing
Former sheriff cites 60 percent rise in crime since 2000
The crime rate in Charlotte County has risen steadily since 2000 while going down in most neighboring counties.
That indicates the county is "losing the war on crime" -- and the current sheriff has failed to stop the descent, said former Sheriff Richard Worch.
Worch said Friday he intends to run for sheriff in 2008 to reverse that trend. Worch previously served as sheriff from 1989-2000.
Worch cites data from Uniform Crime Reports compiled by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement on the county's crime rate since the 1980s.
The data shows during Worch's 12 years in office, the county had the ninth lowest crime rate of 67 counties in the state. But during his successors' tenure, the crime rate rose 60 percent, dropping the county to 57th place.
"If these numbers did not reflect the sad picture they paint of rising crime, I would not be running," Worch said. "I believe I honestly know what to do to get this thing turned around."Click here (http://www.sun-herald.com/NewsArchive2/123006/np8.htm?date=123006&story=np8.htm) for the full story.
Former sheriff cites 60 percent rise in crime since 2000
The crime rate in Charlotte County has risen steadily since 2000 while going down in most neighboring counties.
That indicates the county is "losing the war on crime" -- and the current sheriff has failed to stop the descent, said former Sheriff Richard Worch.
Worch said Friday he intends to run for sheriff in 2008 to reverse that trend. Worch previously served as sheriff from 1989-2000.
Worch cites data from Uniform Crime Reports compiled by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement on the county's crime rate since the 1980s.
The data shows during Worch's 12 years in office, the county had the ninth lowest crime rate of 67 counties in the state. But during his successors' tenure, the crime rate rose 60 percent, dropping the county to 57th place.
"If these numbers did not reflect the sad picture they paint of rising crime, I would not be running," Worch said. "I believe I honestly know what to do to get this thing turned around."Click here (http://www.sun-herald.com/NewsArchive2/123006/np8.htm?date=123006&story=np8.htm) for the full story.