FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Crime is decreasing in the city of Fort Myers. Wednesday, the Fort Myers Police Department released its Uniform Crime Report, showing total crime is down 16% so far this year.
The department says they've seen a positive downward trend in crime this year, with the biggest decreases in rapes and robberies.
They say it's a team effort. "Total crime is down 16.2%," says Chief Derrick Diggs.
For example, Chief Diggs says there have been less than half as many rapes and robberies in Fort Myers this year as there were in the first half of 2018. “The implementation of new technologies has helped us develop a more comprehensive approach to city wide policing."
Those technologies he's talking about include the City View camera system, Shot Spotter gunshot detection system, real time crime center, and data-driven crime prediction analytics.
"We look at all the data that comes in. Where are the crimes occurring? What time are the crimes occurring? What's the mode, method, operation? Who are these individuals?"
He says part of their violence reduction initiative is to focus on gangs and other dangerous offenders. “Individuals that are committing these crimes, the locations of these crimes, how it's happening."
According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Lee County isn't the only area that's seen a recent decrease in crime, either.
In 2018, Charlotte County crime went down 11%. Collier County went down 7%. DeSoto County: 9%. Hendry County: 12.5%. And Glades County with the winning number of nearly 27%.
The chief also says there are more technologies coming in to the department in the future to help give officers the tools they need to better do their jobs.
"We have made tremendous progress in reducing crime in this city, but our work is not done," says Chief Diggs.
