Six-month report: Marco police Chief Chief Don Hunter knows what he has, what he’s missing

MARCO ISLAND — Each morning, Marco Island’s Police Chief Don Hunter checks his Droid cell phone to access entries from his deputies on significant crimes in the previous 24 hours. It’s a new way of getting information Hunter came to accept in his first six months as police chief on Marco Island.

For 20 years, Hunter was Collier County’s sheriff. Every morning, he received a computer generated report on criminal activity that could be sorted, segregated, dissected, cross-referenced and analyzed to show trends and hot spots. On Marco Island, that isn’t an option.

“We’ve got a records management system that’s at the end of its life and not supported by the vendor anymore,” Hunter explained. His computer system is only part of the problem. Personnel is the other issue. It takes staff for data entry and an analyst to interpret data. Hunter has neither.

On Monday, that would not have mattered much. Hunter checked his Droid for significant crimes and found three: One domestic violence report and two conveyance burglaries.

The domestic violence incident turned out to be two siblings, a brother and sister, battling it out. After the usual “he started it,” no “she started it,” dialogue, no arrests were made. The two burgled cars had been left unlocked and only netted the thieves pocket change.

Many days there’s nothing to report, Hunter said. In 2010, Marco Island police logged a total of 179 crimes, up 14 reported crimes from the previous year. Six of those were multiple crimes affecting the same people. Person-to-person crimes were up only eight over 2010.

Although Marco Island’s crimes are similar to those reported in Collier County, there are differences. The island’s largest crime category is larceny. It’s a laidback community that looks lucrative to thieves and drug addicts, Hunter said.

“Narcotics abuse ties into property crimes. They (drug addicts) will take just about anything, but primarily jewelry, money, computers, televisions, DVRs, or any electronics they can sell or pawn.”

There were 135 larcenies reported in 2010 compared to 132 in 2009. Most were crimes of opportunity: Sliders left unlocked, garages left open, boating equipment left unsecured, fishing equipment left in pickups, even children’s bikes left in front yards.

“The most heartbreaking are home invasions where thieves ransack a residence,” Hunter said. Damage could be as costly as the items taken. About half of Marco Island’s break-ins affect homes owned by part-time residents. The number of home invasions, particularly involving big ticket items, could be the result of East Coast organized crime or gangs from East Naples or Golden Gate, he said.

“On Marco Island, we have no indigenous gang members.”

Hunter would like to see the city consider an officer focused on narcotics and vice. Currently, there are two detectives on staff that investigate general crimes. Marco Island needs someone on the streets listening to what’s going on and correlating behaviors with crimes, he said.

According to Hunter, the island has 112 miles of roads to patrol. Police answer incident calls and must provide all other policing requests. What’s missing is collective intelligence from school rumors, hangouts or bars that would increase chances for drug and crime prevention.

“We’re flying blind. We have no inside information so we have to be reactive rather than proactive,” Hunter said.

Revelations from his first six months are leading Hunter back to the county.

“We continue to pay for some county policing,” he said. “If we need added assistance, I can ask the sheriff’s office. We’re plugged into intelligence functions at the county level, but it is not focused on Marco.”

For now, Hunter believes citizens can create the best form of prevention. Electronics can be marked on the bottom, sides or back with owners’ names and a code only they know. If an item is stolen, the police can use the information to identify retrieved goods. Property owners can take pictures of jewelry or other valuables. Police often find these items in warehouses or homes during arrests.

Hunter asked residents to report suspected crime immediately, and to speak up if they think criminal activities are not being reported.

“Luckily, crime is very low on Marco Island, and that’s a good problem to have,” Hunter said. “At the city council’s Town Hall meeting, if I had had a chance to speak, I would have said there aren’t many significant events.”