TPD Reports Reduction in Violent Crimes
Focus Remains on Long-Term Approach to Addressing Crime
June 28, 2017
Tonight, an update to the Tallahassee City Commission on public safety revealed that violent crimes in the community have decreased by 14 percent. These figures, presented by Police Chief Michael DeLeo, detail the overall drop in violent crimes, which include murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault, from 2015 to 2016.
“For the past three years, reducing violent crime in our community has been a top priority, and efforts by local law enforcement, including the Tallahassee Police Department, are paying off,” Chief DeLeo said. “There is still work to be done, and TPD has embarked on a long-term plan to partner with other agencies and the community to ensure the safety of all residents.”
During his presentation to the Commission, Chief DeLeo shared that all but one violent crime statistic had gone down. From 2015 to 2016, murder decreased by 31 percent, rape decreased by 12 percent and aggravated assault decreased by 18 percent.
Chief DeLeo credits the drop in violent crimes to several strategies implemented by the Police Department in recent history, including budgeting for 55 new officers during the last several years, the establishment of the Violent Crime Response Task Force, a renewed focus on community policing, diverse communication channels and enhanced neighborhood partnerships through events like Operation Safe Neighborhoods, Splash and Jam and the Tallahassee Police Athletic League. The Tallahassee Police Department recently was selected to receive the prestigious Rocky Pomerance Excellence in Policing Award for 2016. TPD was selected after being recognized for innovations in police relations and promotion of community participation.
This data might surprise residents who have seen recent reports based on the broad Uniform Crime Report, which is comprised of violent crime and non-violent crime. While these reports offer insight for a variety of useful purposes, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which administers the program, cautions against using that information to compare or rank individual jurisdictions. “These incomplete analyses have often created misleading perceptions which adversely affect geographic entities and their residents,” it reads.
Because of this, Chief DeLeo proposed creating a local Crime Report Card, which would allow Tallahassee-Leon County to measure its own progress. Data shows that there was a spike in crime in 2015. Since then, local law enforcement agencies have enhanced efforts and implemented new programs to reduce crime. Data from that year will be used as the benchmark moving forward for the local Crime Report Card.
Chief DeLeo stated, “I am confident that with TPD’s continued efforts to build trust, partnerships and programs, this community – over time – will be one of the safest communities in Florida.”
For more information about the Tallahassee Police Department, please visit Talgov.com/Police. You can also stay up-to-date with the Police Department by liking its official Facebook Page and following along on Twitter.
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