There seems to be a perception of an increase in crime, but columnist John Settle says this view is not supported by facts.
Ok, I get it.Perception is often reality.
In a few short years the internet has become the "know all, tell all" expert opinion on practically everything.
Couple that with the constant FaceBook authorities, viola! No need to look for truths.
Such is the case with many Shreveport citizens and their perception of public safety.
Admittedly, four recent murders of innocent victims have certainly contributed to these concerns.
But let's look at facts...the old fashion way of discovering what is correct.
So here it is—ready or not.
Crime is down 12% through July compared to last year. (August statistics not yet available.)
Repeat–through the end of July, crime is down 12% below 2018 numbers.
These are part 1 crimes–homicide, rape, aggravated assault, burglary, property theft, and auto theft.
The total number of Part 1 crimes for 2018 was lower than 2015, 2016, and 2017.
Police substations that are included in the bond propositions will probably reduce these numbers.
Factually, substations will undoubtedly reduce by 30 to 40 minutes of drive time from the central police station on Texas Avenue to officer patrol areas. That means more time actually patrolling versus commuting to neighborhoods.
