Violent crime minimal in Ash Grove, Republic, Willard in recent years

Violent crime in Ash Grove, Republic and Willard is relatively rare according to statistics published by the the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Per the organization’s website, there was only one murder each in Republic and Willard between 2014 and 2018, and none in Ash Grove. On the other hand, according to 2018 and 2019 crime statistics provided by the police departments of each of the cities, property
crimes happen more often.

Ash Grove
Violent Crime was virtually non-existent in Ash Grove in 2018 and 2019. According to crime statistics provided by Darin Chance, chief of the Ash Grove Police Department, the only violent crimes reported were two cases of aggravated assault in 2019.
Property crimes were slightly more common. In 2018, there were 11 cases of larceny/theft reported, four cases of motor vehicle theft and two burglaries. There was an increase in property crimes in 2019; 23 cases of larceny/theft were reported, along with four burglaries, one case of arson and one motor vehicle theft.
Chance said residents can take a number of steps to prevent being victims of theft, including: locking up their homes and vehicles, securing valuables and making certain they’re not left out in plain sight, never leaving unattended vehicles running and calling 911 when seeing a crime in progress.
Chance also said residents can work with the police department to help stop crime.
“Our officers use proactive patrol and community-oriented policing to deter crime and build a rapport with Ash Grove stakeholders,” he said. “This is a great start. However, a collaborative is more ideal. It takes everyone, working together, to deter criminal activities and increase safety in our community. If you see something, say something. Please do not hesitate to dial 911. Dialing 911 is the most expedient way to get an officer involved. When time is of the essence, cutting out additional steps does matter.”

Republic
Republic saw a decline in most crime categories between 2018 and 2019, with some exceptions. According to crime statistics provided by Brian Sells, chief of the Republic Police Department, drug crimes saw the largest increase, with 227 cases reported in 2018 and 326 in 2019. Assaults also increased, with nine cases in 2018 and 20 in 2019. Sex offenses also saw an uptick, going from 29 in 2018 to 37 in 2019.
Other types of crime actually fell between 2018 and 2019. Larceny dropped from 263 cases to 237; domestic offenses also fell from 297 cases to 221. DWIs went down from 138 cases in 2018 to 93 in 2019, and juvenile offenses trended downward from 86 cases to 61.
Some types of crime saw a slighter drop; Republic had 26 cases of burglary in 2018 and 25 in 2019. There were also 62 cases of property damage in 2018; that number fell to 56 in 2019.
Sells said there were several factors which led to the reduction of most crimes.
“This can be (attributed) to a lot of things, from officers being pro-active and locating drugs,” he said. “We also see citizens be engaged and willing to call in when they see something suspicious or a crime taking place.”
Despite the COVID-19 situation, Sells said police are remaining vigilant to protect residents from crime.
“Each day, the staff of the Republic Police Department work to make our community a better place,” he said. “Our police services span a large range, from answering citizens’ calls for service, community policing to solving crimes and arresting criminals. We collaborate with our community to make our community safer, and we encourage citizens to report any activity they believe to be suspicious.”

Willard
Willard saw a drop in violent crime between 2018 and 2019, according to crime statistics provided by Chief Tom McClain of the Willard Police Department. There were 62 cases of assault in 2018; that number dropped to 43 in 2019. Domestic offenses also dropped from 95 in 2018 to 68 in 2019.
However, other crimes increased in the same time period. Willard saw six burglaries in 2018; that number jumped to 16 in 2019. There was also an increase in stealing, with 52 cases reported in 2018 and 75 reported in 2019. Possession of a controlled substance also became more common, with 78 cases reported in 2018 and 101 cases reported in 2019.
McClain encouraged residents to report crimes to police when they see them.
“We need the eyes and ears (and video surveillance) of the public to keep this crime in check. Please call in suspicious vehicles or people when you see them,” he said.
Additionally, McClain said a Neighborhood Watch program can also help stop crimes.
“The neighborhood watch concept, while an admittedly older application, still works like a charm,” he said. “When you see something in the neighborhood that you recognize as unusual, call the cops and get them into the area as soon as possible in order to check on the suspicious circumstance and determine what, if anything, needs to be done in order to increase public safety. The police need the public in order to do the best job we possibly can to ensure the best outcomes for all of us.”