Ramona is safest town in county

Ramona Chamber of Commerce can add “lowest crime rate in the county” to the community’s list of attributes.

According to an annual report released last Wednesday, crime in Ramona dropped 6 percent in 2006, compared with 2005.

“You can’t get no crime, but this is as close to it as anybody is,” Sgt. Dave Brown at the Sheriff’s Ramona Substation said.

San Diego Association of Governments’ report lists crime rates per 1,000 people. Ramona’s 2006 overall crime rate of 14.81 per 1,000 is the lowest in San Diego County and is down from the 15.74 per 1,000 in 2005.

Figures for Del Mar give that community the highest overall rate: 66.31 per 1,000.

In the report, Ramona’s population is listed as 35,576, 10 fewer than the 35,586 listed for 2005. - Ramona Sentinel