Violent Crime Increases In Lawton

LAWTON, Okla. (AP) -- Police in Lawton say gang violence and drugs contributed to a nearly 40 percent increase in violent crime in 2006.<br/> <br/>Police figures show the number of murders, rapes, robberies

Sunday, January 21st 2007, 2:08 pm

By: News On 6

LAWTON, Okla. (AP) -- Police in Lawton say gang violence and drugs contributed to a nearly 40 percent increase in violent crime in 2006.

Police figures show the number of murders, rapes, robberies and assaults jumped 39 percent from 2005.

The city recorded nine homicides in 2006, the highest number since 1996. That compared to six killings in 2005.

Police Chief Ronnie Smith Senior says the spike in violent crimes reflects a nationwide trend and blamed gang violence and drugs for much of the increase.

He says police research indicates there are three-thousand confirmed gang members in Lawton and at least 108 criminal gangs.

The number of reported rapes in Lawton also increased dramatically, increasing from 41 reports in 2005 to 82 in 2006, a 100 percent increase.