By J.B. Smith

Tribune-Herald staff writer

Advocates of downtown development say the statistics back up their view of downtown as safe, but they are pressing for more police presence as the area evolves.

Waco police officials this week presented downtown crime reports to the advisory board of the Public Improvement District, a city of Waco entity that funds downtown improvements, security and landscaping.

Assistant Police Chief Robert Lanning said crime in the PID — which includes the downtown business district between Interstate 35 and Jefferson Avenue as well as the Elm Street corridor across the river — does not have a high rate of crimes against persons.

The whole district had 946 criminal reports last year, up from 915 the previous year and 906 in 2005. But crimes against persons — such as assault, robbery and sexual assault — went down; crimes against property went up.

“There’s crime anywhere you go,” Lanning said. “But relatively speaking, crimes against persons are lower than in other parts of town. A lot of people perceive it as being a danger, but statistics don’t bear that out.”

The statistics can be a bit misleading, Lanning said. For example, five sexual assaults were reported in the district in 2006 and four in 2007. But with one exception — an acquaintance rape that occurred in a parking lot — the actual incidents took place elsewhere and were merely reported to police downtown.

Most of the personal crimes, such as assaults, took place at bars or at economy motels downtown, Lanning said.

The majority of crimes in the district — 810 of 946 — occurred on the west side of the river, but that side of the district is much larger and busier than the Elm Street corridor.

The PID board, which lately began to take an active role in advocating for downtown at City Hall, has been discussing how to change perceptions that downtown is too dangerous to visit at night. The board this week heard a report from an ongoing survey of Baylor University students about perceptions of downtown, and fear of downtown was common in the focus groups.

Several board members suggested that as downtown becomes more active, more police will be needed to help overcome those perceptions.

Board member Chris Matthews, who lives downtown on Austin Avenue, asked Lanning if it were possible to get more patrol officers in downtown. Lanning said that’s a decision for the city council and city manager.

Currently, the PID is in a patrol area that has three police on patrol during the day and two at night. In addition, the PID contracts with a private security firm to patrol the district at night.

jbsmith@wacotrib.com

757-5752