Murfreesboro Mayor Shane McFarland said a program the city has put in place to cut crime in apartment complexes that cater to MTSU students is working.
In addition to hiring more police officers and upping their pay, McFarland says they've started a new unit of officers specifically working with apartment managers to deal with complaints.
However, the change hasn't happened overnight.
More than a week ago, police said, five to six men wearing dark hoodies invaded a unit at the College Grove Apartments on Lascassas Pike, forcing one of the roommates to the ground at gunpoint.
Those suspects are still on the run.
Still, the mayor said, overall, the crime numbers are headed in the right direction.
"What we're trying to do is have the relationships to where we have dedicated officers working with those complexes, and now we have a unit that's doing that," McFarland said.
Going forward, the city is starting up an apartment credentialing process for complexes that take steps to increase security. The mayor said that credential is something tenants can look for when signing a lease.
