By implementing some new systems, including a more visible presence in the community, Police Chief Selvain McQueen is hoping to make Columbus a safer place for its residents and visitors.
“We are trying to be a lot more visible and have a larger presence in the community,” McQueen said. “We are being a lot more proactive. We’re utilizing a daytime and nighttime burglary patrol. We are knocking on doors and checking on our citizens — we are doing a great deal of modern community policing.”
McQueen said his goal is to keep his officers away from their desks and out in the city’s neighborhoods.
“Everyone, myself included, is spending less time at the office and more time on patrol,” said McQueen. “We are taking it to the streets. We have also been receiving great cooperation from our city’s churches and ministers. We want to increase our interaction with the community.”
But has increased police visibility actually decreased crime in the Friendly City? According to monthly CPD reports from the months of June 2011 and 2012 respectively, home burglaries remained about the same, with a slight increase in June 2012. Total calls for service increased from 2,564 in June 2011 to 2,590 — a difference of 26. June 2012 calls were lower than the 2,919 calls received in May of this year and there was drastic decrease from the 3,898 calls received in June 2010. There was a decrease of arrests made in June 2012 of 142 compared to the 163 arrests made in June 2011. Although the arrest numbers were lower by 21, felony arrests for June 2012 were almost doubled from the previous year.
With a controversial lateral hiring procedure approved by the council that allows hires from other cities to retain their rank upon joining the CPD, McQueen was also given council approval to construct a new reorganization chart, which changed procedures and the structure of his department. The reorganization also led to the approval for McQueen to hire an additional assistant chief and a commander of criminal investigation.
The CPD also hired six new officers after the council voted in May to approve McQueen’s request. The new hires bring the number of total CPD officers to 71. McQueen said the CPD works in four shifts a day — two during the day and two at night with 10-12 officers working each shift.
“The new officers we hired have not been to the academy, so they are not certified,” said McQueen. “Only certified officers can ride by themselves. Our new officers are riding with our more experienced officers. I still would like to get some more officers. The more officers we have, the better presence we would have in the community.”
Jeff Clark was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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