WSMV Channel 4 LaVergne crime rate down compared to similar-sized cities

LaVergne crime rate down compared to similar-sized cities

The perception that the city of LaVergne is crime ridden and not safe is not true, and the police chief has the numbers to prove it.

The overall crime rate in LaVergne is down, and the department has done it with fewer officers than all neighboring cities.

LaVergne business owner Antwainn Ridley said whenever a crime happens in the city, it's normally blown out of proportion.

"With this being such a small town with a large population, sometimes things are magnified," Ridley said.

He opened his barbershop three years ago, and plans on being here for a long time.

"The city has embraced us, we've embraced them, and we haven't seen much crime around here at all," Ridley said.   

In 2011 overall crime in LaVergne dropped 6.6 percent. Robberies were down 38.9 percent, kidnappings and abductions dropped 37.5 percent, thefts from motor vehicles decreased a whopping 46.4 percent and all other thefts decreased 15.7 percent.

"From our 2010 Crime in Tennessee report that TBI does, to the 2011 our preliminary numbers, we've seen some really good decreases," LaVergne Police Chief Mike Walker said.

The department has managed to do this with fewer sworn officers, who are paid a lot less than similar cities. LaVergne has about the same number of cops it had when there were only 18,000 people. There are now more than 32,000 people living in the city.

"With the lowest number of officers, these guys and gals have been working hard," Walker said.

Walker said the city still has a long way to go - assaults were up 6.7 percent, domestic assaults increased 25.8 percent and burglaries increased 1.3 percent.

But the good news is the number of burglary arrests increased 100 percent. 

But compared to other, similar-sized Middle Tennessee cities, LaVergne had the third lowest major crime rate per 100,000 population. That includes crimes like homicide, robbery and rape - only Smyrna and Mt. Juliet were lower.

"This indicates that LaVergne is a safe place to live," Walker said.

Ridley agreed.

"It's a great thing, because the numbers don't lie," Ridley said.

LaVergne swore in four new officers last month, and is planning on adding four more this year.  The chief is hoping by adding more ‘boots on the streets,' the crime rate will continue to drop

The homicide rate in LaVergne stayed the same. There were only two in 2011, the same number as in 2010.

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