The New Iberia Police Department has been up and running for one year today, Monday, July 1.
And tonight, the department and city will present the city’s crime statistics for the year and what’s to come. The public can also ask questions and voice their concerns about recent crime during the public meeting. The event will take place at the Sliman Theater on E Main Street at 6:00 pm.
KATC’s Abby Breidenbach was LIVE with more on the town hall.
The New Iberia Police Department is turning one, and Chief Todd D’albor says there is a lot to celebrate.
“We’re very pleased with what we see right now,” says D’albor. “We’re making headway. The biggest accomplishment that I believe our department has been successful with is engaging the community.”
Community policing is the philosophy that Chief D’albor and Mayor Freddie DeCourt say they agreed would be most effective in their situation.
After one year, people in one neighborhood known for violent crime say that since the city police have returned, the crime has slowed down.
Mayor DeCourt says it’s something that businesses and developers have noticed, too.
“When I got here to sell our community, it was difficult,” says DeCourt. “The impact and proof is in the business that is up and the crime stats that are down coupled with the grants we’ve been receiving. We’re on the move again.”
The police force says the success of the city police department is attributed mostly to the community. Residents were willing to tax themselves to get city police back out on patrols and have been involved with the police department to help solve crimes, according to the department.
The department says all are welcomed to attend tonight’s town hall meeting.
