Rise in crime raises concern in St. M’ville

Property theft, gunfire damage to cars and houses and a feeling that the police are not following through on investigations has some St. Martinville residents frustrated.
At the May 5 city council meeting, residents said police are not doing all they need to in the current environment. True or not, there is the perception that the force has grown too distant from much of the community.
Residents who have been the victims of crime report poor evidence-gathering and a seeming unwillingness to confront the problems that appear to be racing out of control. “The police need to get out of their cars and walk these neighborhoods,” said one resident of Martin Luther King Street.
Neither Mayor Thomas Nelson or any council member disagreed with the contention that a more assertive presence is needed from the police. Nelson said a real problem has developed in recent years with an unwillingness, even from victims of crimes, to give investigators information.
One victim of a recent unsolved burglary said he lost all confidence and will take necessary action on his own next time. The tone of frustration was clear. That same man said community outreach is needed to encourage witnesses, but also to teach them how to provide the kind of information investigators need.
Others attending the meeting suggested an effort on the part of the police department to avoid conflict by keeping a low profile in minority neighborhoods is being carried too far. It remains to be seen, some council members suggested, how residents would react if they were faced with a more aggressive police response to things like late-night loitering, often the precursor to trouble. One resident even suggested it might be time to set a curfew.
Nelson said he plans to ask for help from the Louisiana State Police when they are available. Current Police Chief Calder Hebert will leave the department on June 19, and Nelson suggested that the choice of the next chief is more critical than ever. “It can’t be someone who is out to make friends,” he said.