Jackson Jambalaya

The city of Clinton issued the following press release:


The Clinton Police Department continues to work diligently to serve the needs of residents and to provide a safe and secure city. Since May, when I became Chief of Police our department has been working hard to increase our presence and visibility in neighborhoods and business districts throughout town. With the addition of 20 new officers since the fall of 2013, Clinton’s crime stats have shown a steady decrease over the past three years.

Clinton Police have averaged over 100 house checks each week. This personalized presence, additional officers on the street, and the new beat system are important steps we are taking to serve Clinton.

For many residents, property crimes remain their biggest concern due to the desire to feel safe in their home, business and community. In an analysis of property crime statistics since 2009, property crimes within the city of Clinton have shown significant downward trends that appear to coincide with the addition of 20 new police officers to the force.
Prior to the growth of the department in the second half of 2013, the city of Clinton had averaged close to 300 property crimes each year. Since 2013, the city has seen a steady decline of property crimes from 308 in 2013 to 211 in 2015. According to property crime statistics for the first 8.5 months of 2016, that trend continues to show significant improvement.

By simply locking your vehicle and removing property from plain view, I believe, together we can drastically reduce the auto burglaries in our city. Criminals are not breaking windows to gain entry into vehicles, instead they are taking advantage of unlocked doors as opportunity. I believe that through the continued patrols in our neighborhoods and partnership with the community, we can continue this positive trend of reducing property crimes in our city.

Another trend that I see is positively related to additional patrols and officers, is the increase in enforcement related statistics. Since 2012, arrests for DUI, Driving with License suspended, forgery, shoplifting and petit larceny have risen. These arrests, serve the purpose of making our streets safer, while also eliminating the impact of the criminal element and their opportunities to harm our residents and businesses. Enhanced DUI enforcement, continues to make our streets a safe place to drive and move about the city to shop, work and play.

I believe that with the addition of the designated traffic unit in 2017, our department will continue to remove dangerous drivers from the streets.

Even though crime stats show improvement, we must not become complacent. We must continue to work together to prevent crime and create an environment that discourages malfeasance. The first layer of defense against crime begins with the

individual. By following several crime prevention principles, residents can assist police officers and first responders in creating a crime free city.

To view the compilation of crime stats from 2009-2016, please visit the Police Department’s crime report webpage on the city website at www.clintonms.org.