City of Waco experiences overall decrease in crime rate: report
Both violent and non-violent crime rates saw a decrease in percentage
WACO, Texas (KWTX) - As we enter the last month of 2022, both violent and non-violent crime appears to be down in Waco, according to a new report.
Overall, the crime rate in Waco has decreased by 4 percent, according to September’s report. Violent crime is down by 5 percent and non-violent crime is down by 3 percent.
“We really like to see those numbers go down. We’d like to continue to try and keep those numbers down. Of course, crime is really unpredictable so at any time they can spike up but we’re doing everything we can to make sure we keep those numbers down. We can’t eliminate crime completely, but we can try as hard as we can,” said Cierra Shipley, a spokeswoman with the Waco Police Department.
The Waco community has been a big help in reducing these percentages, but the police say more can be done, citing that most crimes are non-violent and, ultimately, avoidable.
“What we want people to do is please lock your door. Take their key out of their vehicle. Don’t keep your car running and unattended. Don’t leave valuables in the car and please don’t leave any firearms in your car,” said Shipley.
As police often rely on tips from the public, the classic phrase “see something, say something” still holds true.
One number that people pay a little more attention to than others is murder count.
In 2021, Waco police investigated 16 murders. So far in 2022, that number sits at 14.
“Thankfully, we haven’t surpassed the number of last year’s murders, but we did see quite a big increase in the beginning of the year, compared to last year,” said Shipley.
Waco residents say the 5 percent decrease in overall crime brings a sense of ease.
For Sydney Nunley, the work that Waco PD does allows her to walk the city freely without fearing for her safety.
“It makes me feel safer to walk around downtown. I live right up there so we walk to dichotomy all the time and so it makes me feel safer,” said Nunley.
These monthly reports are released on the fifteenth of the following month.
The November report will be available come December 15.
COPYRIGHT 2022 KWTX TV. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.