Street crime task force will help region

Several participating police departments and agencies have united in an effort to curb transient crime.

Cape Girardeau Police are involved in the Southeast Missouri Street Crimes Task Force, which is simply a cooperative effort between police in different communities to nab criminals who may dart from one community to the next to avoid police. The first organized bust netted 16 arrests, including several for felony drug violations.

This task force targets specific areas in several Southeast Missouri towns where street crime, including gun crime, is more prevalent.

Gun crimes in certain Cape Girardeau neighborhoods are on the rise. According to a story reported by Emily Priddy, police responded to 83 gun crimes in Cape Girardeau from November through March, up from 49 for the same period the previous year.

New police chief Wes Blair said with kind of jump over the winter, gun crime could become much worse during the summer months. Blair worked with Sikeston's police chief, Drew Juden, on the concept of the task force.

Blair was correct when he said there are many good people who live in rough neighborhoods, and they deserve safety just as much as anyone.

This type of cooperation has the potential to help every community in Southeast Missouri. We appreciate all of the leaders who made it come together and the officers for the work they do to make our neighborhoods safe.