CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – With a bit of assistance from the COVID-19 pandemic, crime was down in Clarksville in 2020. More importantly, our local crime rate remains the lowest of any city with more than 100,000 population in Tennessee.

And, when it comes to crimes being solved, Clarksville far outpaces comparable cities. The percentage-cleared rate has been riding high for several years, according to a compilation of the data by Clarksville Now.

“This is a fairly large city, larger than many others in the state. That’s going to come with its fair share of incidents,” Police Chief David Crockarell said. “We have a lot of issues in this town, and we admit that. We have drugs, we have gangs. We spent a lot of years lucky enough not to have those issues in our town.”

But, he said, CPD is doing excellent work responding to those issues: “These officers do a really good job. When you look at how we compare as one of the largest cities, we look pretty good, we’re proud of it.”

Crime over time

On Monday, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation released its 2020 “Crime in Tennessee” publication, which details crime date reported by the state’s law enforcement agencies.

Clarksville’s major crime rate has, for the most part, remained below 10,000 incidents per 100,000 population since 2010. Major crimes are categorized by TBI as Group A offenses, consisting of crimes such as murder, assault and rape.

An analysis of those numbers shows the crime rate in Clarksville is dropping. As a percentage, crime in Clarksville isn’t getting worse, and it was actually much worse in 2002.

Major crimes (Group A offenses) per 100,000 in Clarksville over time:

• 2020: 8,348.5 (pop. 161,167)
• 2015: 9,295.3 (pop. 146,806)
• 2010: 8,774.6 (pop. 132,929)
• 2005: 10,709.2 (pop. 108,972)
• 2002: 11,412.7 (pop. 103,455) – First year available

In 2009, the rate dropped below 10,000 for the first time, and since then it has hovered in the low 9,000s, except for a bump in 2017 and 2018 when it popped above 10,000 both years before declining again.

Crockarell credited his predecessor, Chief Al Ansley for creating a “culture of accountability,” a good support system, and high morale that made a difference in police work. Ansley was named chief in 2007, and that coincided with a drop in the crime rate and the start of a steady increase in the percentage of crimes cleared.

Total number of offense reports cleared over time:

2020: 47.79%
2015: 44.74%
2010: 40.60%
2005: 35.10%
2002: 19.30% – First year available

“When you look at these numbers – percentage cleared, really that’s a motivational score,” Crockarell told Clarksville Now. “Somebody who’s more motivated is more likely to work harder.”

The number of murders in Clarksville has increased as the population has increased:

• 2020: 15
• 2015: 13
• 2010: 9
• 2005: 4
• 2002: 6 – First year available

The COVID effect

Last year, the major crime rate dropped below 8,350, and Crockarell pinned that, and an overall drop in crime, on COVID: “To our advantage, more people were home,” he said.

That led to a large decrease in thefts of motor vehicle and vehicle burglaries, for example, because more people were home supervising juveniles.

Police assumed there would be an increase in domestic violence, with couples being home and fighting more, but that didn’t happen. Domestics were actually down for a period in the late spring, Crockarell said.

It was a pattern statewide: Major crimes were down 5% across Tennessee during 2020, according to the TBI.

Compared to other cities

Clarksville continues to have the lowest crime rate of the six largest cities in Tennessee, slightly better than Murfreesboro.

Major crimes (Group A offenses) per 100,000 in cities over 100,000 population, 2020:

• Nashville (pop. 688,013): 10,643.5
• Memphis (pop. 650,937): 15,453.3
• Knoxville (pop. 188,672): 9,616.7
• Chattanooga (pop. 184,211): 14,303.7
• Clarksville (pop. 161,167) 8,348.5
• Murfreesboro (pop. 151,769) 8,350.8

While major crime rates can be affected by population density and other factors, Clarksville also leads the way in percentage of crimes cleared.

Total number of offense reports cleared in cities over 100,000 population, 2020:

• Nashville: 23.69%
• Memphis: 23.54%
• Knoxville: 40.88%
• Chattanooga: 28.09%
• Clarksville: 47.79%
• Murfreesboro: 30.24%

While the TBI data is useful to look at annually, CPD studies these numbers every two weeks in a Crime View meeting, where they review the numbers in more detail, and geographically, to understand where crime is happening and discuss what’s being done to address it.

The commanders are responsible for explaining any issues that arise.

“You can’t solve them all, but you’ve got to at least try, turn over every stone, and when you come to Crime View you’ve got to be able to explain why there’s an increase,” Crockarell said.

Mayor Joe Pitts and Chief of Staff James Halford Jr. also attend the meeting, establishing accountability all the way up and down the line.

Keeping up with growth

As Clarksville grows, the number of crimes will grow. To keep the crime rate low will take ongoing public support, and that includes staffing. CPD tries to maintain a police force that’s just above the national average, with a goal of hiring for 2.2 officers per 1,000 population. The average in the Southeast is even higher: 2.7 per 1,000, Crockarell said.

They currently have 332 sworn officer positions, and Crockarell projects they’ll need 386 in the next five years.

“To keep having results like this, and keep this city attractive, we have to have crime under control, but that comes with a cost,” Crockarell said. “We have to keep up with the population.”

Crockarell credited ongoing support from the community and from City Hall for the department’s success. But he said keeping up with growth will be critical.

“In the last chapter of my career, I’ve got to try to keep up with the growth of this city or these numbers will change, and they’ll change in the wrong direction.”

CPD is continuing to hire officers, and welcomes anyone who wants to see policing improve to get involved and apply for a position. For more, go to the CPD website or call 648-0656.

Click here to see the complete TBI 2020 Crime in Tennessee report.