Rogers County Sheriff's Office

T a r g e t i n g t h e M a r k e t f o r first noticed a problem when they were S t o l e n G o o d s : P u t t i n g a plagued with an unusually high number of N e e d l e i n t o t h e H a y s t a c k "trailer theft" calls for service. During the first eight months of 1996, more than 37 trailJudge's Commentary ers were stolen and only three trailers were Officers and agencies wishing to engage recovered. Losses per report were as high as problem-oriented policing often worry that $35,000; with an average loss per report was they lack the essential resources to be suc$2,500. cessful at their endeavors. There is a common misconception that successful problemAnalysis: Three data sources were used to oriented policing projects require a great identify the nature and scope of the trailer deal of support—expert guidance and analytheft problem: crime reports, site visits and sis by professional researchers, funding, and conversations with victims, and a communidedicated manpower — much of which is not ty survey. Deputies examined crime data for available to small and mid-sized law time and location patterns, and determined enforcement agencies. This project is importhat trailers were stolen during specific tant for many reasons, one of which is the times of day from specific locations: the use fact that Rogers County Sheriff's Office had and size of trailers lead owners to place them a dramatic impact on a serious community in highly accessible, remote locations withproblem with a handful of deputies and limout sufficient security. Furthermore, they ited resources, during a time when all availfound that stolen trailers were not registered able resources were committed to moving or licensed; decreasing the likelihood of into a new building. The scanning, analysis recovery. Rogers County deputies also and assessment phases were done by hand examined research on theft to place their in a department with 16 sworn deputies. findings into context and craft a solution. Rogers County deputies used creativity and innovation, together with community partResponse: The Sheriff's Office worked with nerships, to overcome challenges and sucregional associations, residents and the mass cessfully resolve a theft problem. This projmedia to implement a strategy to identify ect demonstrates that successful problemproperty, remove the disposability of stolen oriented policing can be done with agencies property, and to inform likely offenders of of all sizes when people are willing to think these new measures. Marking property with outside of the box and beyond their formal a rice-grain-sized Radio Frequency job descriptions. Identification (RFID) microchip and creating an ownership database enables the monitorS u m m a r y ing and tracking of property while reducing The Problem: Trailer theft — theft of general the market for stolen goods, livestock, horse, utility, or flatbed trailers — was a serious problem in the rural commuAssessment: Trailer theft has been virtually nity of Rogers County, Oklahoma. In the eliminated in Rogers County. During the mid-1990s, trailer theft became a growing past two years, only one trailer was stolen, and costly problem and was adversely The owner of the stolen trailer had not parimpacting the livelihood and recreation of ticipated in the Rogers County theft reducarea residents and business. Field deputies tion program.