Homicides, robberies, aggravated assaults decline in Cape in 2015

Cape Girardeau police report homicides, aggravated assaults and robberies were down in 2015, while reports of vehicle theft and rape increased.

The numbers were outlined in the department’s annual report that was released last week.

Homicides were cut in half — from four to two. Robberies decreased from 66 in 2014 to 62 in 2015, and assaults were down from 130 to 127. The decrease in robberies and assaults was more substantial when compared to peak years of 2010 for assaults (170) and 2011 for robberies (94).

Burglaries also dropped from 337 to 313 in 2015.

Thefts increased from 1,401 to 1,538 but were down from the peak year of 2012 (2,052).

Calls for service increased by about 6,000, from 50,473 to 56,387. Arrests were down from 3,082 to 2,119.

Total written reports rose from 8,705 to 9,277, but that was a decrease from the 10,952 in 2012.

“You can’t always arrest your way out of things,” Police chief Wes Blair said.

The number of detective cases for the department increased from 739 to 924 in 2015, but were down from 1,179 in 2011.

“We have placed a heavy emphasis on relationships and communication this past year. Through efforts like our neighborhood roll calls, National Night Out, enhanced social-media efforts and many other initiatives, we have strengthened our relationship with you, our community,” Chief Wes Blair wrote at the beginning of the report. “While we are proud of that, we recognize that it is not merely a program or an event, but a commitment to community that will continue to build up these bonds.”

Blair and public information officer Richard McCall said the department has decreased much violent crime without arrests because of increased community involvement.

Blair and McCall also said the street-crime task force, which involves police agencies from Sikeston, Poplar Bluff, Charleston, Missouri State Highway Patrol and SEMO Drug Task Force, has helped to deter crime.

“The community in the areas you’re talking about are working with law enforcement,” McCall said. “It’s showing that the community is responding. ... It makes it a lot easier and a lot faster when the neighborhood is involved.”

Blair said events such as Coffee with Cops have allowed the department to build familiarity with community members. He said more people came forward with information during the homicide investigation for Airious Darling last week than there had been for a murder in a long time.

“Just making ourselves available to the community is part of relationship building, and that takes time,” Blair said. “The community is stepping up and saying they are tired of this, too.”

Blair wrote in the message at the beginning of the report the increase in vehicle thefts is troubling. There were 102 vehicle thefts reported in 2015, compared to 68 in 2014.

“To address this, we have started several initiatives to target high-crime areas during time periods that our analysis indicate are most commonly prone to crime,” Blair wrote. “We will continue to work with our partners in the community to address preventive measures.”

McCall and Blair said vehicle thefts in Cape Girardeau usually are not committed by professional criminals using a Slim Jim to unlock the vehicle, hot wiring the car to get it started and selling it to a chop shop for parts.

Generally, stolen vehicles are left unlocked and often have the keys inside, McCall said. The thief takes the vehicle around town for a day or two, then abandons it somewhere without any damage, McCall said.

Another common occurrence is vehicles are repossessed; the owner does not know and reports it stolen.

Rapes also rose from 11 in 2014 to 19 in 2015. Nineteen rapes is the most the city has seen since 2005.

McCall and Blair think victims may be more willing to come forward because of increased awareness. McCall said one way to deter sexual assaults is to increase potential victim awareness.

Councilman Wayne Bowen praised Cape Girardeau police in their ability to decrease crime, but he believes the department is stretched thin and was able to do more with less in 2015. Bowen said he still is committed to hiring police officers, although the use tax which would have been used to hire seven more officers was rejected by voters.

“We’re just starting to get into the budget cycle. It’s going to be a very conservative budget, as it always is,” Bowen said. “For me, (public safety) is the highest priority in the city’s budget.”

Bowen and Councilman Victor Gunn said they will bring up ways to increase the number of officers without the use tax at the next city council meeting April 18.

“What I get from my constituents is that their top concern is public safety,” Gunn said. “In my opinion, we shouldn’t have any reason for citizens of Cape Girardeau to not feel safe walking the streets.”

bkleine@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3644

Pertinent address: 40 S. Sprigg St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.