Cape crime stats a mixed bag; police morale 'bad,' chief says

Cape Girardeau police chief Wes Blair told the City Council on Monday that violent crime is “seeing a bit of a decrease” year-to-year and that post-George Floyd, his officer corps is down, too.

Statistics

Ninety-six assaults, referring to cases in which a physical injury has occurred, were counted from Jan. 1 to Sept. 14 — a 20% increase from the same period in 2019.

In other categories, the numbers are more favorable.

Robbery is down 14% in Cape Girardeau, domestic violence is down 10% and there have been three homicides thus far in 2020, down by one.

There were a total of 365 “no-injury” shots fired calls, a 47.8% increase from the same period in 2019.

Blair said there were 25 victims of gunshots thus far in 2020, with five of them being self-inflicted.

Blair cited national figures on violent crime, which show a 17%-to-35% hike across the country.

“I would say (our statistics) show a certain level of progress,” he said.

Blair asked the council to share “real data” in their respective city wards, because there is a “perception” crime is “worse than it actually is.”

Men in blue ‘feeling’ blue

Asked to assess the morale of his department, Blair called it “bad,” adding the Cape Girardeau Police Department has lost four officers in the last month.

“Three of them have left law enforcement entirely,” said Blair, who became Cape Girardeau’s chief in 2013, noting the departed are “younger officers.”

Blair said some members of the force are “fearful to go to work sometimes,” quickly adding, “We have a very supportive community that supports its police department.”

Rental properties

Blair said the department has an officer working full time with city’s approximately 1,000 landlords, mentioning a voluntary initiative asking that doorbell and other external cameras at venues available for lease be registered so footage is available for police investigations.

Other business

• P&Z controversy

The council voted 5-2 not to hold a public hearing on removing two members of the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission who on July 8 were overheard on a “hot mic” being critical of the Black Lives Matters movement.

Mayor Bob Fox reminded the six ward council members the pair had submitted an apology, which was read to the City Council this summer. Additionally, both apologized in-person at a P&Z meeting.

The council voted to appoint Deborah Young to replace Doug Spooler on the P&Z board for a term expiring in 2023. Spooler moved out of the city and by law could no longer continue on the commission.

• Sewer tap fee

The council debated at length the wisdom of raising the 3/4 sewer tap fee from $750 to $2,500.

Fourth Ward Councilman Robbie Guard said those impacted by the increased fee should have been given a heads-up about the 233% hike, observing the city has a “strained relationship” with developers.

Mayor Fox dissented from Guard’s view, while acknowledging prior notice was warranted.

Deputy city manager Molly Mehner noted the tap fee, until the recent increase, had gone unchanged since 1988.

“We debated an incremental increase over a period of years,” Mehner said, but opted “to rip the band-aid off in view of the current city budget situation.”

Fox said prior to the hike, the city had been “losing money on these taps.”

• Resolution of support

The council voted 7-0 to forward a letter of support for MACO Development’s plan to expand its Silver Springs II senior housing apartment development by 56 units.

Jason Maddox of MACO said there are currently 247 people on a waiting list for one of their “affordable housing units.”

The Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC) will decide whether to approve MACO’s plan.