Speak Out About Charlotte Crime

Join Us April 28th - Speak Out About Charlotte's Crime Problem!

We have been fortunate in Charlotte to have a strong vital economy; however, with that success brings metropolitan and urban challenges. Unfortunately, the entire city and county is facing a tremendousincrease in crime which is steadily destroying our quality of life. Theseverity of the crimes, armed robberies, burglaries, home invasions andpeople being attacked on the streets walking in their neighborhoods ison the minds of parents, individual citizens, and businesses.

The debate has played out in the newspaper, in the media and between the e-mail accounts of the residents of this region. Many of us are victimsof crime, and nearly all of us have friends, neighbors and families thathave been victimized by crime here in Charlotte and throughout thecounty. It is time to join neighbors across the city to create aunified voice to let civic leaders know loud and clear how we feel

.We invite neighborhood leaders and concerned citizens to join us at theApril 28th Charlotte City Council Meeting. The meeting begins at 6:30pm, in the City Council chambers at the Government Center. Our goal is to encourage widespread participation in this televised meeting to let our city leaders know the status quo is no longer acceptable. In addition, Charlotte is selecting a new Chief of Police, and we want our voice to be heard in this selection process. We hope you will join us at this important meeting and we encourage you to spread the word.

Don't assume your neighbors or others are representing your interests. If you care and are concerned about crime in Charlotte, we need your participation in this important meeting!

Regards,

Neighbors For A Safer Charlotte

Safety Update - Friends of Fourth Ward

CMPD Police have been testing a new crime fighting tool - the mobile tower. You may have seen it recently in Fourth Ward Park and in an article in the Observer 4-13-08. The tower is used for general crime prevention, 'hot spot' areas or special events.

Public Safety Committee has heard from Charlotte Mecklenburg PoliceDepartment that Thefts from Fourth Ward's autos is, and continues to be,our biggest crime issue. It is also one of the easiest crimes to prevent by REMOVING ALL VALUABLES from your car when you park it. REMEMBER, IF THEY CAN'T SEE IT, THEY CAN'T STEAL IT!

Focus on Uptown Crime

Recently the Charlotte Observer published a story on "crime spots" which "pose unique challenges" for CMPD. It is commendable that the police meet with Charlotte Center City Partners to stay informed on the uptown events. Also; both the leadership and community coordinators of the Central Division remain accessible and responsive to the needs of the uptown neighborhood associations. Together we work to solve problems and keep the neighborhoods safe and livable. Uptown Charlotte is a great place to live, work and play.

Center city an area of focus

Michael Smith, president of Center City Partners, meets with officers from CMPD's Central Division weekly.

They talk about upcoming events at Charlotte Bobcats Arena, the convention center and area bars, as well as any possible criminal trends in the city. It extends from the CMPD's creation of a unit a few years ago that focuses solely on the center city using a sergeant and 10 full-time officers who work mostly nights and weekends.

Still, the area features the highest amount of violent crimes -- all crimes involving force or threat of force -- in the Central Division.

Considering the number of people who visit the city, Smith said, Charlotte compares favorably to any similar-sized metropolis.

"It's a place where all of Charlotte comes together, and we need to keep public safety a top priority," he said. "I guarantee my colleagues in other cities would trade (statistics) in a New York minute."

Community Safety in Charlotte: An Editorial Response

The editorial in yesterday’s Charlotte Observer represents another lost opportunity for the public to be responsibly informed about the impact of crime in our community and the work that is always being done to improve our sense of safety. It was void of context, accurate facts or an acknowledgement of any of the examples of work in the hot spots that have recently appeared in its own newspaper. Moreover, the editorial’s singular focus on police as the answer belies the essential roles everyone – including the media – has in addressing crime and safety issues.

Crime has been and will continue to be a challenge for Charlotte-Mecklenburg as it is for every major city, and no group is more committed to fighting crime than the men and women who work for the CMPD. By way of context, it is appropriate to point out that

• Both violent and property crime have dropped each month since the peak in October and November of 2007
• Violent crime was down by 7.2% in 2007, the lowest rate since 1980
• While property crimes have inched up in recent years, driven largely by auto thefts and, more recently, car break-ins, they are still lower than they were at any time in the previous decade

To be sure, statistics mean little to one who has had their house burglarized or had property stolen from a car. We understand that a reduction in the violent crime rate is little comfort to the person robbed at gunpoint on the street or in a store or to someone whose family member is injured. We know last year’s reduction in the number of homicides provides no explanation for the recent, horrific murders that have occurred.

But the numbers are important for understanding the impact of crime, identifying trends, targeting resources, developing policy and gauging the results of enforcement, prevention and intervention efforts. And the stories behind the numbers are important for understanding that most violent crime is not random and many property crimes can be prevented.

The CMPD has been a leader in using analytical methods to identify “hot spots” in which there are concentrations of crime and calls for service. Contrary to what the Observer suggests, working in those areas has been a key part of our policing strategy for many years. They are hot spots because the problems extend well beyond what law enforcement is able to do on its own.

Fortunately, the residents we work with, while understandably concerned and fearful, share our commitment to fighting crime and developing viable solutions to the range of issues that contribute to crime and disorder problems. It is disappointing that the Observer appears not to give the public enough credit for understanding what is going on. From unsupervised juveniles, drug abuse and insufficient treatment for the mentally ill to housing code violations, overcrowded jails and an overburdened court system, the problems that underlie issues of crime require the full range of local, state and federal resources to address them effectively.

While it is common for people to have a misunderstanding about a crime or problem in the neighborhood, we work with them, provide information and help calm the fear. In fact, this kind of work is taking place in neighborhoods in every patrol division throughout the city. Recently, officers have been working diligently with residents in Dilworth, Plaza/Midwood, Farm Pond, Peachtree Hills and Windy Ridge, just to name a few. In every case, officers and residents come together to gain clearer understandings and develop plans to address the problems.

Last year, we made nearly 28,000 arrests and in the first four months of this year, we have made more than 7,500 arrests. Let’s be clear – if we could arrest our way out of the crime problem, we would have done it already. While the CMPD will continue to do everything it can to reduce crime and improve safety, creating a true sense of safety is the shared responsibility of every member of our community.

Darrel W. Stephens, Chief of Police
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department