By LEONARD GRAY – Managing Editor

LAPLACE – Assaults in St. John the Baptist Parish drew quarterly crime statistics on the upswing, according to Sheriff Wayne L. Jones.

Overall crime increased by 2 percent, from 439 instances to 448 instances.

“Most of them are domestics,” Jones said, in that the majority of the assults are instances of domestic violence.

Assaults increased from 122 instances in 2003 to 167 in 2004 in the period from January through M arch, a 37 percent increase.

However, nearly every other crime category, as reported to the FBI’s national crime rate statistics, decreased.

Robbery went from 10 to nine instances, burglay went from 58 to 50 instances, theft went from 221 to 190 instances and motor vehicle theft stayed at 28 instances, Jones reported.

One homicide case was reported for the first quarter this year, and three rapes. None were reported last year in either of those categories during January-March 2003.

However, Jones expressed doubts as to the accuracy of two of the reported rapes, which will be passed along to the St. John Parish Grand Jury.

One rape had been reported in Reserve on Feb. 3, and two others were both reported on March 26.

“I do have some concerns about those,” Jones said.

Jones also took the opportunity of Thursday’s press conference to announced a new Office of Public Integrity, where serious complaints will be responded to within 24 hours.

In addition, Jones said he plans to add more officers to the Road Division to address mounting concerns over go-carts and golf carts being used on public streets.

This was in response to an April 19 incident where a preteen boy was badly injured when a go-kart backed over him in a street.

“You can’t have kids in go-karts driving on public streets,” Jones emphasized.

Nine more deputies will be added to the Road Division, as more new hires graduate from the Police Academy.

“I’ve been having about 10 or 11 on a shift. I want 12 on a shift by July,” Jones said.

Deputies will also be making use of citizen contact cards, talking to people on the street about their concerns.

In addition, resource officers from the schools will also be reassigned to patrol duty during the summer months to beef up traffic enforcement activities.