Dave Clark
The crime rate in Anderson County has dropped for seven consecutive years, District Attorney General Dave Clark said.
Crime in Anderson County was down by 10.1 percent in 2013, according to Tennessee Bureau of Investigation numbers, Clark said in a recent press release. Crime in the county is down by more than 37 percent in the past seven years, he said.
“There are thousands of fewer crimes in Anderson County now, as compared to 2007,” Clark said.
“This is great news for the people of Anderson County because we are safer from crime and can enjoy the benefits of having a crime rate that is below average for the state,” Clark said. “This is also great news for recruiting good industry and retail jobs to Anderson County and a variety of other benefits.
“While these results are great, the law enforcement community is not satisfied. There is much work to be done, particularly in combating the effects of drug addiction and crimes related to drug addiction. We need to do more to make our community even safer.”
Clark said the success comes from the “considerable planning and the deliberate effort of many people working together.
“I am very proud of our law enforcement team and the cooperative manner in which they have maximized communication and joint effort to achieve the biggest bang for the taxpayer’s dollar,” he said.
Clark said two departments deserve special recognition this year. The crime rate in Clinton was down by more than 20 percent in 2013 and it was down by more than 16 percent in the area patrolled exclusively by the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department.
“These are incredible numbers seldom seen anywhere in the country during a single year,” Clark said.
He said authorities have tried to increase the detection and arrest of criminals during this time and have also tried to improve the quality of the cases and increase the resulting punishment for criminals.
“Some of the habitual criminals that have plagued Anderson County in the past are now in prison or jail,” Clark said. “Some criminals have relocated to other areas that they think are better places to do business. Where appropriate, others have been given drug treatment and supervision.”
The DA said the crime problem in America is caused by social factors that are bigger than the ability of any local criminal justice system to fix, and there is no single solution to the problem of every crime or criminal.
“We have tried to get tough on crime locally, while at the same time managing the system and taxpayer resources wisely by using a variety of tools to match the problem,” Clark said. “As a law enforcement community, we are all grateful for the support we have received from the public and our governments that have permitted us to use these various tools.
“We will continue to lobby for stronger state laws where appropriate and pursue the same strategies that have been working. One of the takeaways from this news is that local efforts and initiatives can make a big difference.”
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