Tyler Shows 2015 Crime Decrease

TYLER – Violent crime in Tyler continues to drop. While some areas showed increases. Even with three more homicides than in 2014 and auto theft up just over 26%, violent crimes in Tyler dropped 12.41% last year. Part two crimes, which covers such offenses as forgery, public intoxication and family offenses, dropped just over 5% in 2015. And this drop in crime has been the trend over the past five years. Police Chief Gary Swindle said their were 449 violent crimes reported in Tyler in 2011. Last year that figure had fallen to 374.

Chief Swindle credits the decrease to the hard work of the line officers and the detectives in the department. He also gives Tyler citizens a pat on the back. When citizens see something suspicious, call the police. He said if they can prevent crime from happening, then that keeps it from becoming a number on the report.

Chief Swindle said, one of the things they learned a long time ago is that people will come, and want to be in a safe community. And people stay in a community where the crime rate is low, And he added, “That’s our goal, that’s part of the Tyler First Plan, and we are going to continue to work toward keeping our citizens safe.