Police: Cape city sees drop in serious crimes

Cape Girardeau has seen a decline in serious crimes overall and is on the right track when it comes to combating crime, city officials said.

According to police records, total serious crime in Cape Girardeau dropped nearly 11 percent for the first six months of this year compared to the same period in 2017.

Police said there were 976 serious crimes this year compared to 1,094 during the same period a year ago.

Mayor Bob Fox said, �We are on the right track.�

Police chief Wes Blair echoed that sentiment.

�I feel like we are making headway,� Blair said Tuesday.

Blair told the city council Monday police have seen a �dramatic reduction in firearms crimes.�

But homicides are up, he said, with the city having experienced five from January through June compared to three during the same time a year ago.

Earlier this month, a fatal shooting occurred inside Hardee�s restaurant on William Street.

Blair told council members all homicides are �very concerning.�

But he said police are not seeing the �random, on-street violence like last year.�

Ward 1 Councilman Daniel Presson said �people don�t feel crime is down.�

But Blair said the statistics show otherwise.

Rape/sex offenses are down more than 66 percent; strong-arm robberies have dropped by more than 58 percent; and robberies with firearms have declined by more than 38 percent, according to police.

Cape Girardeau also has seen nearly a 32 percent drop in assaults with firearms, a 71 percent decrease in assaults with knives or cutting instruments. Motor vehicle thefts have decreased by more than 11 percent, according to police.

Cape Girardeau experienced 246 assaults in the first six months of this year, 70 fewer than during the same period of time a year ago, according to police records. Assaults with firearms, knives or other dangerous instruments accounted for only 25 of the assaults during the first half of this year compared to 49 during the same time period in 2017.

The federal government classifies 16 crime categories as Part 1 (serious) crimes.

Part 2 or less serious crimes include forgery, stolen property, vandalism, weapon possession and carrying offenses, various drug offenses, driving while intoxicated and liquor-law violations, among others.

Part 2 crimes have declined by more than 6 percent, police records show.

Cases of drug sales have increased 31 percent, from 16 to 21. But Blair said that reflects the increased efforts by police to combat illegal drugs.

Blair said illegal drugs and drug trafficking drive much of the serious crime in Cape Girardeau.

The police chief said his department has two officers assigned to the regional drug task force. Another officer is �embedded� with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which helps lead to federal prosecutions of gun-law violations, he said.

The department also has officers who participate in a street-crimes task force, along with officers from the Charleston, Sikeston and Poplar Bluff police departments and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Blair said the task force saturates an area with officers, which leads to arrests and helps combat crime in the various communities.

Criminals often are transient, moving from one city to another, he said.

Cape Girardeau police also recently unveiled Watch on Wheels or WOW, a new rolling crime-watch partnership between the department and the local transit authority. Transit drivers are encouraged to report suspicious activities. Through the WOW program, transit drivers also receive alerts about vehicles or suspects being sought by police.

Blair said the department does a good job of being tough on crime while also being �welcoming and caring� to the public.

�We thread that needle really well,� he told the council.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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