Inaccurate Crime Statistics: A Dangerous Oversight in Our City

The safety of our metropolis is a fundamental concern for its citizens who place their trust in local law enforcement to uphold peace and order. But, are the crime statistics we receive painting a true picture of the security scenario in our city? A recent city council meeting deciphered a disconcerting revelation about the reporting of crime in our city, prompting a need for a more profound examination of the issue.

In a shocking disclosure, the council meeting uncovered a significant discrepancy in the reported crime rates. The 1100 block of College Street, for example, saw a total of 67 calls made to 911, but only 6 police reports were filed. In this context, a mere 8% of the calls made to emergency services resulted in a formal police report. It is essential for the city's legislature to address this issue with the executive branch and the mayor’s office, which oversees the appointment of the police chief. A comprehensive accounting of every single gunshot fired in the city must be demanded.

The distortion of statistics is a long-standing issue, but when it comes to crime data, the implications are particularly severe. How can we formulate an effective strategy against crime without accurate data? Over the past few weekends alone, 85 gunshots were reported from a residence on College Street, within the police beat 19 jurisdiction. However, the official police statement accounted for these as merely 5 'shots fired' events.

Such misrepresentation of data undermines the severity of the situation. It is untenable to allow the manipulation of crime statistics to continue. Citizens have the absolute right to understand the full extent of their city's crime problem. The onus lies on the council to push for accurate reporting. Until every bullet fired is accounted for, and all crime in the city addressed, no real change can be realized. The time has come for citizens to hold our leaders accountable and demand transparency.

For the transcript, read below:

Sarah Foster - 

Members of City Council, for my 3 minutes, I would like you to hear some of the gunshots I have heard and experienced while living in police beat 19 over the past few weeks.Plays Clip - Thank You 

Logan Foster - Council Members, I spoke at the last meeting about the pandemic of crime plaguing South Bend, I also spoke about the pandemic of underreported crime and police reports not being created  by police officers who respond to 911 calls.

For example, at the last meeting, I presented the year to date statistics showing 67 - 911 responses on the 1100 block of college street generating only 6 police reports. (a report less than 8% of the time). I am currently waiting for the APRA request on a city wide 911 responses and reporting. We will see how good or bad reporting truly is. We will look at the real numbers everywhere.

Council Members,  you just heard 85 gunshots... 85 Gunshots... When was the last time you heard 85 gun shots? Council, those shots were heard over the last few weekends from our residence on college street in Police Beat 19. IF, and I say IF, the police reported all 85 gunshots, they will be reported as: 5 shots fired “events”. HOW MISLEADING IS THAT.

One of those events had 38 rounds fired and  it will be counted in their monthly statistics as “1 shots fired event.”

Until we work towards counting every bullet fired in the city and stopping all crime in the city nothing will change. THIS IS MANIPULATION OF STATISTICS, this is the definition of fake and misleading news. Why manipulate the stats this way? To help the police chief? To help the Mayor's Office? To help the Council? It sure doesn’t help me or the taxpayer! The Council, the city's legislative branch, needs to let the executive branch, the mayor's office ( who is in charge of and appoints the police chief) know that this is not ok. When Ted Kennedy spoke of Bobby Kennedy, he described him as a man: “who saw wrong and tried to right it, saw suffering and tried to heal it, saw war and tried to stop it.” We all need to do our part to right wrongs, heal our communities, and stop the lawlessness of thousands of rounds of gunfire flying around our city. In closing, I emailed every member of the Council the morning after the last meeting and I still have yet to receive a response. I have yet to receive a response in writing from my email to Henry Davis on Monday, June 5th. It’s August 28th.

Somebody has to care, somebody has to help.