I post on a couple of different on-line forums and have come upon the question about crime activity in my area more than once. I'd like to take a few moments of your time to address this issue here for those of you who may be considering the so-called "Meth Capital of the World" as your next home.
Meth Capital of the World! High Crime Rate! What the heck are you people talking about??? I've posted more than once about my peaceful little town of Albany, Oregon. Crime? Come on, I've lived in San Diego, Honolulu, and a couple of other 'major metropolitian cities' - crime here is NOTHING like there. I say that with a 100% straight-face, as a father of 2 daughters, and an active member of this community.
So, I'm sitting at a local restaurant one day when I see a guy I know who just happens to be a police officer. I ask him - "Jeff" I say, "I'm always hearing people say that Albany has a high crime rate...but I don't see it. What's the truth?" Jeff proceeds to tell me that the statistics are right and, even in in my neighborhood (his neighborhood too), there ARE meth houses right now. "You'd be 
surprised Dave"...and he shakes his head with a wry smile.
So, now I'm feeling a little like a liar - great, with people already distrusting Realtors! So, here's what I'd like to explain to everyone.
I love living in Oregon's mid-Willamtte Valley (Albany to be precise). I chose this place to raise my children - having lived in lots of other places, and having lots of other choices when I retired from the Navy, I chose HERE! This is a great little town with a huge sense of local community and solid schools with involved parents. There are all kinds here, farmers to industrialists, white trash to hoi polloi, rich and poor, urbane and educated, as well as 'never been out of Linn County and didn't finish high school.' But you know what, when I go to Fred Myers there is a nice lady at the checkout line who ALWAYS says "HI" to me and asks me how my day is going. When I go to CostCo on a Sunday, I can hardly get out of the place for running into people I know. The Boys and Girls 
Club auction raised 10's of thousands of dollars to support their excellent programs (of which my daughters have both participated) and my local Rotary Club supports local school dictionary programs and international clean water projects in Uganda.
Is there truth behind the statistics on the crime rate here? Well, I guess there is and now I know it. Am I faced with it every day? No! Would I choose to live anywhere else? Not today! To those of you who may have read my posts on other forums, defending and advocating Albany as a great place to live, I apologize if you thought I was just giving you more "Realtor-speak" but honestly, I was only giving you my honest and heartfelt opinion. Balance that opinion with the facts and I was possibly mistaken - but I never told a lie!
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