ST. LOUIS COUNTY — Areas patrolled by St. Louis County police are experiencing a dramatic drop in crime compared to a year ago, with all major categories down significantly through the first half of 2009, officials said.

County police report that murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, car theft and arsons all are down compared to the same period of 2008.

The crime numbers, compiled by the department and forwarded to the Missouri Highway Patrol for eventual inclusion in the FBI's national compilation, represent one of the steepest drops in years, Chief Tim Fitch said.

Officials said they are confident in the numbers because the experience in 2008 was consistent with the trend in previous years, up only slightly from 2007.

Overall crime is down 20 percent compared to a year ago.

Summer crime numbers for the usually busy months of July and August still may reshape the yearlong numbers, but if the trends seen from January through June continue, Fitch said, the outcome will be the lowest in 20 years.

The crime numbers apply only to unincorporated areas patrolled by county police officers and to municipalities which have contractual service agreements.

Fitch credits the success of special enforcement operations in North County, curfew crackdowns against teens and the compliance rate of registered sex offenders. The chief also said the addition of 14 officers who are focusing on crimes committed by juveniles also helped dent crime.

Those officers had become a point of contention between County Executive Charlie A. Dooley, who wanted them, and former Chief Jerry Lee, who preferred to spend the money on increased pay instead.

Even in a recession, burglaries are down 35.4 percent and larcenies are off 14.4 percent, the figures show. Nearly all of the county's seven precincts saw drops in all categories, as well.

In the North County precinct, numbers dropped or were basically flat in all major crime categories. The only two homicides handled by the department this year occurred there.

Fitch singled out the work of the precinct's Community Action Team, which has worked to establish relationships with residents and whose officers have taken 70 weapons off the streets as they target violent and drug incidents.

In the city of St. Louis, officials said reports on crime are mixed through six months. Crimes against people — such as robbery and assaults with guns — are up, with the notable exception of murders, which are down. Burglaries, larcenies, auto thefts and arsons are all down this year, according to the St. Louis police.