MOULTRIE — Both the Moultrie Police Department and Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office reported seeing fluctuations in crime over the last five years. The sheriff’s office, however, reported an overall rise in incidents while the police department reported an overall decrease.



Colquitt County

Colquitt County Sheriff Al Whittington said the sheriff’s office has seen a slight increase in the total crime numbers in Colquitt County over the last five years. He attributes the rise to the overall increase in population and the rise in costs of services.

Whittington said the influx of Hispanics into Colquitt County has contributed to the rise in violent crimes. Hispanics have been the victims of violent crimes, he said, and Hispanic-on-Hispanic crimes can become violent as well.

Whittington said there has also been an increase in gang- and drug-related incidents in the past five years.

“Last year there were mainly loosely-organized groups in the county,” Whittington said. “Now, however, the groups are more tightly-formed and have become gangs. Youngsters are also starting to turn to the streets and to gangs, and some are forming out of fear or intimidation from peers.”

To address the gang situation in the county, Whittington said the Moultrie Police Department and Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office have formed a Gang Task Force. The task force will be working with youth and providing intervention with them, but they also need the help of parents to help educate their children about gangs.

Among the seven offenses tracked by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Colquitt County had the following incidents in 2005:

• Murder: Two, down from four in 2004.

• Rape: Five, up from three in 2004.

• Robbery: Six, equal to 2004.

• Aggravated assault: 285, up from 268 in 2004 and the highest number in at least the last five years.

• Burglary: 264, up from 222 in 2004.

• Larceny: 534, down from 547 in 2004.

• Auto theft: 71, up from 65 in 2004.



City of Moultrie

Moultrie Police Chief Frank Lang said the city’s main crime trend has been black-on-black crime, especially in robberies. There has been no noticeable increase in violent crimes against Hispanics, he said, but the department has seen an increase in reported calls for police assistance from all races.

Lang said the city has seen its overall crime rates go down over the last three to five years. He was pleased to see the decrease and attributes much of that success to the department’s Neighborhood Watch program, which has helped make citizens more vigilant and willing to take part in their neighborhoods.

“We’re pleased with the overall numbers,” Lang said, “but there is a whole lot more work we have to do.”

The city has seen an increase in the number of aggravated assaults and robberies, but Lang said the increase in aggravated assaults was expected. The department has set a zero tolerance policy on domestic violence, and an aggravated assault was redefined to include the use of any type of weapon during an assault.

“We want to send a message to those who participate in domestic violence,” Lang said. “We are not going to tolerate it, and they can expect the maximum charge if they are involved in a domestic dispute.”

Much of the crime in the city of Moultrie has been related to illegal drugs in some way, Lang said. Drug users who do not have a regular income will take advantage of citizens just to get their next fix, which can be anything from burglary to violence against another person.

Among the crimes tracked by the FBI, Moultrie had the following incidents in 2005:

• Murder: Two, equal to the number of murders in 2002, 2003 and 2004.

• Rape: Seven, down from 13 in 2004.

• Robbery: 71, up from 48 in 2004 and the highest number in at least five years.

• Aggravated assault: 80, up from 70 in 2004 and the highest number in at least five years.

• Burglary: 327, down from 353 in 2004.

• Larceny: 995, down from 1,012 in 2004.

• Auto theft: 115, up from 101 in 2004.