NEW IBERIA — After one year on the job, the New Iberia Police Department is reporting a drop in crime. The department returned to the city one year ago, after a 14 year absence. According to the chief: homicides, shootings, rapes and armed robberies are down.
The Department compared numbers from the year before the city police department came back. Chief D'Albor credits his community policing approach.
"We knew we needed to engage the community and build the trust and make sure that the community knew they could make a phone call and call us or talk to us and let us know what they're seeing," D'Albor said.
After a closer look at the numbers, KATC discovered at least two discrepancies. New Iberia Police reported 13 homicides in the year before the department, the sheriff's departments reports eight.
For shootings, New Iberia Police Department reports there were 79 the year before the department. The Sheriff's Office reports 68. Still the numbers are down under the city police department.
"I can say that we have seen some implemental changes, because I lived in an area where the crime was fairly high. I can say now it's a little more comfortable for a lot of people in the area to be able to have the freedom to move around and to enjoy what they pay taxes for," Ronald Davis Sr. Said.
As for the discrepancies in the year prior, the city police department used 911 call logs and the sheriff's office looked at final reports.
