Although the number of more serious crimes in DeKalb was up in 1986, the overall crime rate was down, according to the DeKalb Police Department Annual Report.

The total number of crimes for 1986 reached 3,990—which was down 6 percent from the 4,252 crimes in 1985.

The total number of arrests in 1986 was down 19 percent from 1985. There were 1,530 adult arrests and 185 juvenile arrests in 1986. In 1985 there were 1,892 adult arrests and 226 juvenile arrests.

Crime index offenses, which include homicide, criminal sexual assault, robbery, burglary, theft, car theft and arson were up 6 percent from 1,234 in 1985 to 1,309 in 1986. The highest increase in a specific category was robbery, which rose 57 percent in 1986. The category with the next highest percentage increase was aggravated assault and battery, which rose 24 percent in 1986.

An analysis of burglaries reported to the DeKalb Police stated apartment and residential burglaries were the highest reported incidents. Fraternity and sorority houses, as well as garage burglaries, were the second highest reported incidents.

Non-index offenses, which include reckless conduct, cannabis control, alcohol violations, criminal damage and trespass and other sexual offenses were down 11 percent from 2,681 in 1986 to 3,018 in 1985. The largest declines were reckless conduct, down 79 percent; deception, down 51 percent; theft of services, down 46 percent; and offenses involving deadly weapons, down 50 percent.

The highest increases in non-index offenses included offenses involving controlled substances, up 63 percent; cannabis control offenses, up 20 percent and other unspecified criminal offenses, up 125 percent.

Adult arrests for crime index offenses totaled 213 in 1986, up 37 percent, compared to a total of 155 in 1985. Juvenile arrests of crime index offenses were down 46 percent from 95 in 1985 to 51 in 1986.

Adult arrests for non-index offenses were down 24 percent from 1,737 in 1985 to 1,317 in 1986. Juvenile arrests for non-index offenses were up 2 percent.

The total number of traffic arrests declined from 2,867 in 1985 to 2,493 in 1986. The number of accident arrests rose from 520 in 1985 to 591 in 1986, but the number of non-accident arrests declined from 2,347 in 1985 to 1,902 in 1986.

The total number of accidents within the City of DeKalb decreased from 1,558 in 1985 to 1,510 in 1986. There were no fatal accidents in 1986, but the number of injuries due to accidents increased from 180 in 1985 to 218 in 1986.