Crime Rate Down During Pandemic

WAAY 31's Sydney Martin shows if perception is reality when it comes to crime being down during the pandemic.

We're focused on getting you the most important and up-to-date coronavirus information in all our shows every day.

While covering the pandemic, we noticed crime seems to have dropped.

Waay 31's sydney martin is live outside police headquarters after asking if this perception is also reality.

When it comes to some of the most common crimes, they are down from past years.

Police told me officers are still responding to plenty of calls.

And are working proactively to stop crime across the city.

Lt.

Michael johnson, huntsville police "those neighborhoods where community watch has a stake in their neighborhood they have been calling us.

They are staying on their toes as well."

Lieutenant michael johnson with the huntsville police department told me since the stay at home order started officers are responding to more calls.

But the actual number of crimes is down.

He thinks it could be because more people are working from home and noticing suspicious activity in their neighborhood.

Take a look at the crime stats i obtained from huntsville police.

Looking at march 15th through april 15th, you can see the number of robberies is down 52 percent from the 2018 and 2019 average.

For the same time period burglaries are down 8 percent.

Breaking and entering into vehicles dropped 33 percent.

Huntsville police said because of some coronavirus precautions officers are responding to less minor calls allowing them to spend more time patrolling.

Lt.

Michael johnson, huntsville police"we're not working quite as many wrecks so it gives an officer, each officer, the ability to patrol their zone a little more.

" and even though more people are spending time together at home, johnson said the number of domestic violence cases is down 12 percent.

Lt.

Michael johnson, huntsville police "it's not something we want to hold our breath on.

Anything that goes down in numbers for law enforcement can always go up.

We're going to continue maintaining contact with our community watch and our crime stoppers."

Johnson stressed staying at home doesn't force you to stay quiet if you're a victim.

Lt.

Michael johnson, huntsville police" we want them to call us.

We don't want this situation of being quarantined longer at home or being in a home with a domestic violence offender in particular to feel like they can't call us."

Police said they're continuing to watch the calls that come in and plan to take another look at the numbers at the end of the month.

Live in huntsville sm waay 31 news.