LAKE SAINT LOUIS, Mo. — One St. Charles County city saw a major reduction in crime over the past several years.
Lake Saint Louis had an impressive decrease and Police Chief Chris DiGiuseppi said they couldn't have achieved it on their own.
He said there are several factors that have contributed to the reduction in crime the city saw from added police officers to more resources to updated technology.
According to DiGiuseppi, one factor tops it all.
"I think this is probably one of the most successful programs we've seen in this County," he said.
This is a powerful statement coming from DiGiuseppi, a member of the community spanning over 30 years.
"It’s extremely important to our officers and to our law enforcement leaders to see those results," he said. "It seems like there’s a lot of times where we do a lot of things and it kind of seems like you’re just spinning your wheels...and nothing is getting done...or we are not having success and we’re just kind of holding everything at the current crime rate."
"But to actually see something that works...to see everyone coming together and unifying...it’s a good feeling," he said.
DiGiuseppi was talking about the St. Charles County Criminal Interdiction Task Force.
It's a task force that started in the spring of 2020 and is made up of 11 jurisdictions across the county.
According to DiGiuseppi, it's focused on reducing the number of stolen vehicles, as well as other crimes that have increased over the past several years.
"We're starting to see them trend downward and I think Lake Saint Louis is benefitting from that," he said.
According to statistics, the city is benefitting.
According to DiGiuseppi, over the past year the city experienced:
- 32% drop in property crimes.
- 6% drop in crimes against persons.
- 50% drop in stolen vehicles.
"It's been very successful. I think that you'll find that there are similar decreases or percentage decreases in the other municipalities throughout the County," he said.
Task force numbers prove that success.
According to Col. Barry Bayles, public information officer for the St. Charles County Police Department, vehicle thefts are down overall by 27% in the past year and items stolen from vehicles is down 24% over the past year.
DiGiuseppi said the regional collaboration is key.
"Those resources that I might not have just in one department, we can utilize and then when we combine all those efforts, I think that's really the formula for success," he said.
It's results, that DiGiuseppi said, can't happen without the community's support.
"When we have the public and the communities that support law enforcement, that's how we gain community policing and it works," he said.
Chief DiGiuseppi said other departments have seen the success of this task force and are hoping to create a similar one.
He said, specifically St. Louis County police departments are trying it out.
DiGiuseppi also added that his department is actively recruiting, as well as other departments across the County.
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