TMP Reports
Posted: Friday, January 15, 2010 3:21 pm

Gang-related violent crimes dropped and overall crime decreased 1 percent last year when Murfreesboro Police addressed gangs and other crime-related problems, the police chief reported Friday.

“Due to the hard work of the men and women of the Murfreesboro Police Department, combined with our partnerships with governmental and community organizations, we were successful in addressing a variety of crime-related problems in 2009, including gang-related violent crime,” reported Police Chief Glenn Chrisman.

Police spokesman Kyle Evans said about nine members of the Vice Lords gang, accused of committing multiple shootings in Murfreesboro, were indicted on the federal level last year with the help of Murfreesboro Police.

“That sends a message to gangs and violent criminals they will be accountable for their actions,” Evans said.

Crime reports dipped from 6,395 in 2008 to 6,353 in 2009. Homicides, assaults, thefts and arsons decreased while rapes, robberies, burglaries and arsons increased.

Regarding homicides, Evans said, murders dropped by one from six in 2008 to five.

“Anytime there’s a reduction in crime, it’s a good thing, especially considering the growth Murfreesboro has enjoyed and the down economic times,” Evans said.

Rapes increased from 31 to 41, always a tough number to determine since many rapes are underreported, he said.

Robberies expanded by 163 to 180 while burglaries rose from 1,016 to 1,256.

Both robberies and burglaries are property crimes, a direct result of the financial crisis, he said.

“We have a very active crime suppression unit,” Evans said. “We will continue to look at crime trends and deploy the resources as appropriate.”

Officers responded to 87,474 calls for service, a 5 percent increase from 2008. Officers issued 13,683 traffic citations, 29,722 parking citations, and made 8,026 arrests.

The Automated Red-light Enforcement System began operation in June of 2008, and as of Dec. 31 had issued 28,752 citations and 547 warning citations (16,405 in 2009). Fatal traffic crashes increased from six in 2008 to 10 in 2009, an increase of four incidents or 40 percent.

The city continues to grow in both population and physical size, extending its boundaries and currently encompasses 55.565 square miles. According to the latest special census, the official certified population is 100,575 and is expected to increase in the 2010 United States Census. Middle Tennessee State University also reported an increase in the student population to a record high of 25,000 students.

Chrisman said whether responding to a minor incident or a catastrophic event such as the Good Friday Tornado, “We are committed to providing the best in police services to our community.

“As we enter into 2010, we recognize the challenges that today’s police officers and our department face in delivering police services to a growing community,” Chrisman said. “Officers must be equipped with the newest technology to interpret all available crime information and intelligence, join in partnerships with community groups, and possess an unrelenting desire to effect change in the neighborhoods in which they patrol.

“We will continue to work with our city leaders, citizens, neighborhood watch groups and anti-crime partnerships to send a clear message that criminal behavior is unacceptable in our City and that those who would break the law will be held accountable,” the chief said.