Comments on: Overall Crime Rate Falls 9.4% In Escambia County, FDLE Says http://www.northescambia.com/2021/01/overall-crime-rate-falls-9-4-in-escambia-county-fdle-says Local News for Molino, Bratt, McDavid, Century, Walnut Hill, Cantonment Fri, 24 Apr 2026 17:49:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: CJ Lewis http://www.northescambia.com/2021/01/overall-crime-rate-falls-9-4-in-escambia-county-fdle-says/comment-page-1#comment-438274 CJ Lewis Mon, 04 Jan 2021 15:35:30 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=427803#comment-438274 The specific program - Uniform Crime Reporting (UCP) - funded by Congress only tracks seven of 33 categories of felonies in Florida and does so in an odd way only counting the "highest-ranked" crime when multiple crimes occur. The one exception to the rule is arson that is always counted because Congress mandates it. The term "clearance rate" does not mean that a crime was solved let alone that someone was convicted. Given the limitations of the UCR system, this latest report is more bad news for Escambia County because while the UCR rate went down 9.4% in the county it went down 11.7% in Florida. You don't have to be a math major to realize that this means the gap between the county crime rate and the state crime rate likely got worse, i.e. bigger. In 2019, the overall Escambia County crime rate was 34% higher than the state rate. In the area patrolled by the Sheriff, the rate was 27% higher. The overall county rate looks worse because it includes the City of Pensacola where the 2019 crime rate was +56% higher than the state average, and 3.7 times worse than the Santa Rosa County average. As for Sheriff David Morgan, his emphasis on drama and lack of law enforcement experience may explain why his crime rate was for 12 years always "above" the state average. In contrast, when Sheriff Ron McNesby was in office his eight crime rates (2001-2009) were always "below" the state average. Why? Adding to the situation, a recent Pew Research Center found that most violent and property crime felonies are not reported and of those reported most are not solved. Law enforcement really is a game of smoke & mirrors. I saw it first hand during my Marine Corps service when serving in support of three counterdrug operations. I saw numbers falsified and different law enforcement agencies in the same task force working against each other trying to make themselves look good at the expense of the other. The Board of County Commissioners should appoint a countywide law enforcement commission to study what is going on here and make recommendations whether it be to put more Deputies on patrol or consolidate law enforcement agencies (Sheriff, PPD, UWF, PSC) into one as perhaps can be done by the Florida Legislature. Sheriff Chip Simmons is a great guy with movie star good looks and action hero moves but a mere mortal. The crime problem in Escambia County allowed to fester for 12-years may be too big for one man to solve. The BCC that sets the Sheriff's funding level needs to wake up, take an interest in crime and do something. The specific program – Uniform Crime Reporting (UCP) – funded by Congress only tracks seven of 33 categories of felonies in Florida and does so in an odd way only counting the “highest-ranked” crime when multiple crimes occur. The one exception to the rule is arson that is always counted because Congress mandates it. The term “clearance rate” does not mean that a crime was solved let alone that someone was convicted. Given the limitations of the UCR system, this latest report is more bad news for Escambia County because while the UCR rate went down 9.4% in the county it went down 11.7% in Florida. You don’t have to be a math major to realize that this means the gap between the county crime rate and the state crime rate likely got worse, i.e. bigger. In 2019, the overall Escambia County crime rate was 34% higher than the state rate. In the area patrolled by the Sheriff, the rate was 27% higher. The overall county rate looks worse because it includes the City of Pensacola where the 2019 crime rate was +56% higher than the state average, and 3.7 times worse than the Santa Rosa County average. As for Sheriff David Morgan, his emphasis on drama and lack of law enforcement experience may explain why his crime rate was for 12 years always “above” the state average. In contrast, when Sheriff Ron McNesby was in office his eight crime rates (2001-2009) were always “below” the state average. Why? Adding to the situation, a recent Pew Research Center found that most violent and property crime felonies are not reported and of those reported most are not solved. Law enforcement really is a game of smoke & mirrors. I saw it first hand during my Marine Corps service when serving in support of three counterdrug operations. I saw numbers falsified and different law enforcement agencies in the same task force working against each other trying to make themselves look good at the expense of the other. The Board of County Commissioners should appoint a countywide law enforcement commission to study what is going on here and make recommendations whether it be to put more Deputies on patrol or consolidate law enforcement agencies (Sheriff, PPD, UWF, PSC) into one as perhaps can be done by the Florida Legislature. Sheriff Chip Simmons is a great guy with movie star good looks and action hero moves but a mere mortal. The crime problem in Escambia County allowed to fester for 12-years may be too big for one man to solve. The BCC that sets the Sheriff’s funding level needs to wake up, take an interest in crime and do something.

]]> By: retired http://www.northescambia.com/2021/01/overall-crime-rate-falls-9-4-in-escambia-county-fdle-says/comment-page-1#comment-438270 retired Mon, 04 Jan 2021 14:56:49 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=427803#comment-438270 @ oversight That is called wasting tax payer money. @ oversight

That is called wasting tax payer money.

]]> By: Resident http://www.northescambia.com/2021/01/overall-crime-rate-falls-9-4-in-escambia-county-fdle-says/comment-page-1#comment-438264 Resident Mon, 04 Jan 2021 14:11:23 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=427803#comment-438264 Thank you D. Morgan for your leadership, motivation and community programs the are effective. The citizens of this county own you a debt of gratitude for a job well done during your time as our top cop . Thank you Thank you D. Morgan for your leadership, motivation and community programs the are effective. The citizens of this county own you a debt of gratitude for a job well done during your time as our top cop . Thank you

]]> By: Alex32534 http://www.northescambia.com/2021/01/overall-crime-rate-falls-9-4-in-escambia-county-fdle-says/comment-page-1#comment-438240 Alex32534 Mon, 04 Jan 2021 07:57:11 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=427803#comment-438240 I don’t believe serious crime has gone down one bit. I don’t believe serious crime has gone down one bit.

]]> By: 2021 http://www.northescambia.com/2021/01/overall-crime-rate-falls-9-4-in-escambia-county-fdle-says/comment-page-1#comment-438227 2021 Mon, 04 Jan 2021 04:02:11 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=427803#comment-438227 Stump knocker is 100% correct about the fraud. The bank is the victim if they covered your loss. Most banks don’t worry about low amounts because it’s a write off. Secondly, I’m a LEO here, crime was not down at all. We handled shooting after shooting all year long. I agree with the statement about stats being fun. Stump knocker is 100% correct about the fraud. The bank is the victim if they covered your loss. Most banks don’t worry about low amounts because it’s a write off. Secondly, I’m a LEO here, crime was not down at all. We handled shooting after shooting all year long. I agree with the statement about stats being fun.

]]> By: Oversight http://www.northescambia.com/2021/01/overall-crime-rate-falls-9-4-in-escambia-county-fdle-says/comment-page-1#comment-438226 Oversight Mon, 04 Jan 2021 03:38:00 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=427803#comment-438226 The numbers just don't add up. Rates go down every year, but they want more jail space, more money and more officers. What's up with that? The numbers just don’t add up. Rates go down every year, but they want more jail space, more money and more officers. What’s up with that?

]]> By: David Huie Green http://www.northescambia.com/2021/01/overall-crime-rate-falls-9-4-in-escambia-county-fdle-says/comment-page-1#comment-438215 David Huie Green Mon, 04 Jan 2021 01:17:09 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=427803#comment-438215 Statistics can be fun. Imagine just two crimes: murder and jaywalking. Imagine 100,000 cases of jaywalking per year and ten murders. Now reduce jaywalking to 10,000 and raise murders to 100. Total number of crimes goes from 100,010 to 10,100. HUGE drop in crime total!!! Silly, I know. Some things are best only compared to themselves. And some crimes you can't do a thing about to make them worse or less frequent. All you can do is report them and try to persuade people to NOT commit them. David for better people Statistics can be fun.

Imagine just two crimes: murder and jaywalking.

Imagine 100,000 cases of jaywalking per year and ten murders. Now reduce jaywalking to 10,000 and raise murders to 100.

Total number of crimes goes from 100,010 to 10,100.

HUGE drop in crime total!!!

Silly, I know.

Some things are best only compared to themselves.

And some crimes you can’t do a thing about to make them worse or less frequent. All you can do is report them and try to persuade people to NOT commit them.

David for better people

]]> By: JTV http://www.northescambia.com/2021/01/overall-crime-rate-falls-9-4-in-escambia-county-fdle-says/comment-page-1#comment-438207 JTV Mon, 04 Jan 2021 00:23:44 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=427803#comment-438207 Stumpknocker, forging my name is a crime, stealing my checks is a crime, identity theft is a crime. You must be the detective they put in charge of my case. Stumpknocker, forging my name is a crime, stealing my checks is a crime, identity theft is a crime. You must be the detective they put in charge of my case.

]]> By: ProudArmyParent http://www.northescambia.com/2021/01/overall-crime-rate-falls-9-4-in-escambia-county-fdle-says/comment-page-1#comment-438194 ProudArmyParent Sun, 03 Jan 2021 22:45:52 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=427803#comment-438194 Stumpknocker, wrong just because your bank reimburses you does not mean your no longer a victim. Stumpknocker, wrong just because your bank reimburses you does not mean your no longer a victim.

]]> By: Bill http://www.northescambia.com/2021/01/overall-crime-rate-falls-9-4-in-escambia-county-fdle-says/comment-page-1#comment-438190 Bill Sun, 03 Jan 2021 22:31:43 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=427803#comment-438190 “crimes such as murders, rapes, robberies and vehicle thefts increased.” I’d say that overshadows the other stats. “crimes such as murders, rapes, robberies and vehicle thefts increased.”

I’d say that overshadows the other stats.

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