By Natalie M. Zeigler
City Manager
Crime may always number among the most pressing issues of any community, threatening our sense of well-being, our property, and in the worst cases, our lives. Anyone can tell you that crime is a primary reason why the world can be such a dangerous place, and some will even tell you that it only ever gets worse with every passing year. In 2014, however, crime statistics in the City of Hartsville gave us quite a few reasons to be grateful, and to be hopeful about the work that our local law enforcement officers are taking on every day.
In 2014, the Hartsville Police Department responded to 11,932 calls for service in our city, and from those calls filed 3,599 reports. These are numbers which remain virtually unchanged from the last several years, and show that our officers are energetically working in the community.
The total number of serious crimes in the last five years, more importantly, has declined in many categories. In 2014, the City of Hartsville had 16 reported robberies compared to 36 in 2010. In the same period of time, aggravated assaults came down from 71 to 51, and simple assaults came down from 256 to 187. Some categories of crime, of course, have increased in the same period, including shoplifting, credit card fraud and drug violations. Still, we have a very productive police force with clearance rates for cases which are higher than the national average in almost every category. For violent crimes, Hartsville’s clearance rate stands at 81 percent compared to the national average of 57.3 percent. The clearance rate for robberies, meanwhile, is 68.1 percent here in Hartsville, compared to 38.1 percent across the nation.
But while Hartsville Police have been very active in recent years and have plenty to show for it, not everything is driven by the numbers. Much of the value of their work comes from personal contact with the community they serve.
You may recall the neighborhood revitalization work unfolding in the Oakdale neighborhood near the Governor’s School in recent years, driven by a S.C. Department of Commerce Community Development Block Grant. Part of that project involved placing a police officer in residence for the neighborhood. We have found it to be a successful effort, with positive response from residence for the strong police presence and attention. One of the City’s next major pushes will be the STAND Program for the South Hartsville community, combining concerted enforcement for drug market activity with rehabilitation efforts for low-level offenders.
Our police officers gave Hartsville’s residents more reasons to be proud last year, working around the clock to ensure safety, solve crimes and build relationships. I’m looking forward to seeing more of their achievements in building a better community this year.
Natalie Zeigler is the City Manager of Hartsville. For more information, call City Hall at 843-383-3015 or email info2@hartsvillesc.gov.