Thanks to a proactive police force and cooperation from the community, the number of serious crimes in Gwinnett over the first six-plus months of the year is down markedly from the same period in 2007, according to Gwinnett Police officials.

The statistical comparison covers Jan. 1 to July 23 and shows declines in armed robberies, aggravated assaults, and vehicles thefts, among other criminal categories.

"This shows that progress can be made when the citizens of Gwinnett County work together with the police to significantly reduce crime in our communities," Police Chief Charles Walters said.

Police public information officer Illana Spellman credited officers assigned to precincts as well as those in specialized units with helping to "curtail criminal activity around the county," she said. Also working hard have been detectives in the Criminal Investigations Section.

Armed robberies have dropped by almost 27 percent and carjackings have decreased 23 percent. Overall robberies have decreased 15 percent. And the county has seen a drop of 15 percent in aggravated assaults.

Even the number of homicides fell slightly, from 23 in 2007 to 22 this year so far. The only statistic that showed an increase from last year was the number of DUI arrests, which went from 1,242 to 1,408.

There is a decrease in commercial burglaries by almost 7 percent across the county. Motor-vehicle thefts have dropped by 20 percent and entering auto thefts by 9 percent.

Spellman attributed the decreases in part to people "who call us to report these crimes and give us information. We're been taking aggressive measures in affected areas," she said.

In a few cases, Spellman said, immediately after armed robberies, people have called the police, who have stopped traffic and arrested the alleged perpetrators.

"It's timely calls to 911 and officers getting there quickly," Spellman said. "We're using proactive measures, such as patrolling and community education, both of which are always helpful in combating property crimes."