2016 was a better year to be a resident of Lawton, as the Lawton Police department reports that crime rates are down for the year in the city. The decrease is even more impressive, in that over all in the U.S, crime rates increased nearly 4 percent in 2016.

The Lawton PD is especially pleased that "prominent crimes", such as robbery and homicide have declined nearly 50%. Sergeants Stephanie Crawford and Tim Jenkins credit the marked improvement to not only the outstanding work of the LPD, but also to the involvement of Lawton's citizens. One of the key contributing factors is local Neighborhood Watch groups, which act as the eyes and ears of the police department in the areas they represent. They also share tips on how to protect themselves with their neighbors at regular neighborhood meetings.

LPD encourages neighborhoods to take advantage of the watch programs, working with law enforcement to help continue the decline of crime in Lawton. If you would like to join one of the neighborhood watch programs you can find that along with detailed listings of the city's crime statistics by visiting the Lawton PD website.

lawton policedept
photo courtesy of https://www.lawtonpd.com/
loading...

More From KLAW-FM