State of Crime report to the Council's Public Safety Committee

The chief of police has let us know of his recent State of Crime report:

Last Tuesday, November 21, 2006, I presented an update on crime in Nashville to the Council’s Public Safety Committee, at the request of the chair, Councilmember Ginger Hausser. It was an honor and pleasure to present the results of another outstanding year of collaboration and cooperation between the members of the MNPD, the public, and the Criminal Justice System.

- MNPD Chief of Police

The Powerpoint presentation [PPT] is online at the MNPD website.

The chief summarized with these points:

1) The hard working members of the MNPD, over the last three years we have been together, have improved their performance in every way imaginable and I am very proud of their efforts!

2) The relationships built between the MNPD and the community have led to clearance rates of crimes committed (a clear example of police and the community working together to solve crimes) that far and away outpace comparative cities of 500,000-999,999 in population

3) The relationships between the MNPD, the community and General Johnson’s Office have led to conviction rates that average 85% for the major crimes in our community

4) But, the data is equally clear – our officers are arresting more of the worst criminals, our community is participating in the prosecution process and we are experiencing incredibly high conviction rates, HOWEVER, despite these convictions, we are arresting the same criminals, over and over and over again.

5) A real debate about those criminals who shun rehabilitation measures, how long they are actually serving their prison sentences, and how are they seemingly so easily returned to our neighborhoods to commit more crimes against our friends and families, must occur if we are to realize even further reductions of crime in our city

- MNPD Chief of Police