By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
St. Joseph Police Chief Paul Luster emphasizes the importance of citizens reporting crime in the department’s effort to fight crime.
Luster says crime reporting is crucial in maintaining the safety and security of the community.
“When those crimes are reported, it allows us to respond and address those incidents,” Luster tells host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline. “I have to have as a police chief and as a person that wants to make a positive difference in St. Joseph, we have to have that accurate crime data and timely reporting is the main thing that helps us gather that accurate data.”
Luster says he has heard from citizens that they don’t want to bother the department with incidents they consider minor. Luster says reporting is never a bother and that the department wants to hear from citizens about potential criminal behavior.
Luster says the department needs to know about crime, even if considered minor, to effectively understand patterns and address them.
“I know how easy it is to think that, you know, I left my car unlocked and someone opened the door and took my phone charger and it’s seven dollars and I don’t really care, I’m not going to report it. But, if there’s 20 of those in one night and I don’t get any reports that does not alert us to that pattern, we don’t understand there’s a crime pattern going on there,” Luster says.
Luster says even seemingly trivial tidbits can prove useful to police.
Luster recalls early in his career when police were looking for a white pick-up used during a crime spree.
“A citizen called in in an area of town we weren’t actively looking for this at and said, ‘Hey, there’s this white truck over here acting really suspicious,’” Luster says. “What seemed (like) something kind of minor to her was a really big deal to us and the break we needed, the lead we needed if you will, to get over there and to get that person arrested.”
Luster adds citizen reporting of crime also fosters a better relationship between citizens and police officers.
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