State report shows almost 11% reduction in crime in Columbia in 2021
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation released its annual Crime in Tennessee report, which showed that crime in Columbia decreased by 10.98% from 2020-2021.
The report primarily focuses on Group A offenses, which include violent crime, vandalism of property, burglary and drug/narcotic offenses. According to the report, 4,426 Grade A incidents were reported in 2020, with 3,940 reported in 2021.
Columbia Police Chief Jeremy Alsup said that while the nearly 11% reduction rate is something to be proud of, it is an indicator of the many years of work his department has done to cut down on crime in Columbia. For instance, data dating back to 2007, which reported the city's highest number of Grade A offenses (5,561), shows an overall 29% Grade A reduction over the last 15 years, as well as a 41% decrease in overall violent crimes.
TBI's 2021 Crime in TN reportTBI releases annual 2021 Crime in Tennessee report
"This is a great report, and the numbers don't lie," Alsup said. "Here at the Columbia Police Department, we strive to be transparent, reporting everything we do with no manipulation. It's a way to say to people who think crime in Columbia is rampant, or the worst it's ever been, that I can't give you any better evidence than what comes from TBI."
Alsup added that the data's legitimacy is primarily based on the fact the reports are done independently. The process in generating the report is also far more consistent than simply logging information on an annual basis.
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"TBI collects and maintains these numbers, but it's not something where by the end of the year says 'Hey, this is everything we did.' This is reported every week, every Wednesday starting in January, which gives it even more credibility," Alsup said. "Typically, by August or September, the previous year's data comes out. And 10.98% is a huge reduction in a one-year period."
With nearly 20 Grade A crime reductions, these include:
Drug/Narcotic violations - 165 fewer incidents, 35.18% decrease
Vandalism - 79 fewer incidents, 19.41% decrease
Burglary - 58 fewer incidents, 27.49% decrease
Shoplifting - 160 fewer incidents, 43.60% decrease
Weapons law violations - 27 fewer incidents, 32.93% decrease
Forcible rape - six fewer incidents, 30% decrease
Robbery - 10 fewer incidents, 33.33% decrease
Theft All Other - 24 fewer incidents, 10.57% decrease
Theft from Coin Machine - six fewer incidents, 85.71% decrease
Arson - two fewer incidents, 33.33% decrease
When it comes to how the crime rate has been able to reduce while the city has experienced a growing population has been because of many factors. The crime reduction is a result of great teamwork among the police department, city staff and maintaining a good relationship with the community at large, according to Alsup.
Also, maintaining accountability, analyzing crime data on a weekly basis and finding any way for officers to make the department better for citizens, are factors.
"It all comes down to using all tools at your disposal to get results, using whatever you have to do, which sometimes means thinking outside of the box," Alsup said.
"The people who are most successful in law enforcement are the ones willing to change with the times. Our number one goal at Columbia Police Department is for the people who live, work and play here, visit here, or maybe even just driving through here, to know the excellence that comes out of this police department."
This article originally appeared on The Daily Herald: Columbia police reports nearly 11% crime reduction in 2021
