Jefferson City sees slight dip in crime

Here is a look at the police department’s reported crimes compared to last year.

There is a large dip in the number of reported assaults and larceny. Reported robbery, rape and burglary are all the same or slightly less.

Reported vehicle theft and arson are the only two with a slight increase.

Even with the good news, Capt. Doug Shoemaker of the Jefferson City Police points out these numbers are only the crimes reported to police: “For the most part, reported crime is down this year. Now, we have to be very cautious when we report that because it’s not necessarily accurate of the ones that are not reported.”

Shoemaker says the police department works hard to make Jefferson City an unattractive place for criminals.

“We have maintained an assertive stance on crime prevention and then going after the crime is reported to get those cases the proper closure.”

He says if criminals know they will get caught in Jefferson City, they will be less likely to commit the crimes in the city.