SOUTH NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Five months ago, the new Southeast Metro Police precinct opened on Murfreesboro Pike, promising to make the area safer.
"And I have heard Commander Lara, he's going to make Antioch the safest part of the city, and I believe him," Nashville's Mayor Freddie O'Connell said.
Earlier this month, Nashville’s mayor credited the new precinct with helping bring crime rates down across the city. Under the leadership of Commander Carlos Lara, violent crime is down 40 percent compared to last year, including drops in robberies and aggravated assaults. Property crime is also down 15 percent.
"We have more officers — 81 more officers and supervisors in this specific area, which is a 73 square mile area," Lara said.
Despite the statistics, some neighbors have reached out to NewsChannel 5, saying safety still feels out of reach in their neighborhoods. When asked what he would say to those who do not feel safer yet, Lara acknowledged the community's concerns.
"So I would say many times your perception is your reality. And I understand that numbers are numbers. But if I don't feel safe because I'm seeing things in my area, I'm going to feel that crime is up. The numbers tell us that we're going in the right direction. We're trending downwards. We're down in many of the categories that we were up last year. Does that mean that we've eradicated crime or that we've done everything we need to do? No, absolutely not. And so what I ask is those folks that are having those issues, those folks that are concerned about crime in the area, contact us. We need to know those things," Lara said.
Lara said he has kept another promise by cutting response times. However, he admits work remains regarding street racing and sporadic gunfire.
"I think that causes people a lot of concern when you're hearing gunshots, and you're trying to sleep, and you're hearing these things," Lara said.
Police are also still dealing with shoplifting and sexual assaults.
Commanding South Nashville, an area known for its diversity, has brought unique challenges, including immigrants fearing to call for help.
"We're here to help you. We don't care your status. We don't care if you've got papers, don't have papers. We don't care about any of that. We're not federal agents. We're not immigration officials. We're here to serve you and protect you, make sure that you're safe," Lara said.
To keep crime numbers low, officers are pushing a crime reduction initiative. Detectives are targeting high-crime areas to stop drug activity, and the domestic violence division is conducting warrant sweeps to get offenders off the streets.
To continue delivering on these promises, police officers say they need the public's help to stop car break-ins. They are asking neighbors to remove valuables and firearms from their vehicles. Neighbors can call the Southeast precinct to request extra patrols in their South Nashville neighborhoods.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Patsy.Montesinos@NewsChannel5.com
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