Attached is a summary of response times and recent crime data for the City of Santa Barbara collected by the Police Department and provided to the mayor and City Council.

The following are some highlights:

» Response times: The average response times to Priority 1 (emergency life-threatening) and Priority 2 (emergency non-life-threatening) calls for service remained within performance objectives. The average response times to Priority 3 (non-emergency) and Priority 4 (routine) calls for service improved from the previous month but still slightly exceeded performance objectives. Longer response times appear to coincide with a spike in total call volume; greater than the previous six years. Year to date there have been 13,310 calls for service, representing a 12 percent increase compared to the year to date figure from 2014, and an 11 percent increase compared to the same period in 2013.

» Positive trends: The rates of pedestrian- and bicycle-related traffic accidents are significantly lower than previous years. Year to date there has been a 37 percent decrease in pedestrian traffic accidents compared to the year to date figure from 2014, and a 39 percent decrease compared to the same period in 2013. Year to date there has been a 55 percent decrease in bicycle traffic accidents compared to the year to date figure from 2014, and a 27 percent decrease compared to the same period in 2013. The rate of DUI traffic collisions seems to be trending slightly down. Year to date there has been a 12 percent decrease in DUI traffic collisions compared to the year to date figure from 2014, and a 17 percent decrease compared to the same period in 2013.

» Areas of concern: The rates of burglaries and thefts from vehicles and crimes classified as other types of theft (larceny other than burglaries, auto theft, and theft from vehicles) has risen significantly from the last year, back to the levels seen prior to 2014. Year to date there has been a 90 percent increase in burglaries and thefts from vehicles compared to the year to date figure from 2014, however this still represents a 3 percent decrease compared to the same period in 2013. Year to date there has been a 27 percent increase in other types of theft compared to the year to date figure from 2014, and a 1 percent decrease compared to the same period in 2013.

— Sgt. Riley Harwood is a public information officer for the Santa Barbara Police Department.