The decision by the City of Tallahassee to begin adding more police officers in mid-2014 after ignoring request for years, has finally begun to show consistent dividends in the fight against crime.
At the next city commission meeting, Police Michael DeLeo will report that mid-year crime rates in 2018 are down when compared to 2017.
This report follows a 2017 decline in crime rate. The crime rate increased in 2014,2015 and 2016.
However, even though the crime-rate was down in 2017, Leon County led Florida in crime per capita for the fourth year in a row.
Following four years (2009-2013) of not providing funds for more police officers, the city commission voted to begin adding officers in mid 2014 for the fiscal year 2015.
Based on current information, since 2015 the city has added resources for approximately 60 police officers. The budget for patrol operations has increased approximatel 25% from $20 million in 2014 to approximately $25 million in 2018.
However, while the crime rate – a measure of all crime – has declined in 2017 and 2018, the murder rate has increased despite more officers. For example, in 2017 the city of Tallahaseee had a higher murder rate than Miami and Orlando.
From Chief DeLeo’s report:
Crime fell approximately 14% in calendar year 2017 and the crime rate reached five-year low. The trend has continued into 2018. During the first six months of 2018 there were 217 fewer reported Violent Crimes, which is a 24.4% reduction in comparison to the first six months of 2017. Also, there were 352 fewer reported Property Crimes resulting in a 7.6% reduction. Overall, crime is down 10.3% during for the first six months of 2018. Additionally, TPD’s 2018 clearance rate has increased to 21.2% vs. 16.1% in 2017.
Since gillum is anti police, he would be against hiring more police officers. This needs to be brought out by Ron Desantis.
Whenever you start to see a trend like this you better check the reporting. What used to be multiple crimes may be bundled into just one. Review the reports check the data and Report what you find... or ask someone within the department they may just tell you the truth!
I wonder where all these new officers are hiding?. Every day I see the average car
doing twice the speed limit and not knowing what a stop sign is even for.
Thanks DeLeo! I'm looking forward to see how you progress under a new Commission once your immediate supervisor has been terminated from her position and you are able to report directly to the next city manager. We're on the right path.
To think of all the Monies that the Tallahassee City commissioners and mayor paid to their cronies and PR reps for contracts trips restaurants a bridge to nowhere rather than police salaries and equipment is inconceivable. Chief DeLeo is doing an excellent job! It is the work of Chief DeLeo and his rank-and-file who are our Heroes!
Gillum will try to take credit for this, but it's because of Trump's policies. More thugs actually working means less time for them to commit crimes.
Excellent point!
Gillum will try to take credit for this, but it's because of Trump's policies. More thugs actually working means less time for them to commit crimes.
So true. One of those thugs actually pulled a gun on a fellow local Tallahassee Burger King employee the other night.
Under the Obama economy no business would have ever had enough sales to even think of scraping the bottom of the hiring barrel to consider hiring a clown @zz thick dread lock headed "hello I'm a weed dealer" employee like him.
You know it's true.