CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – While Clarksville continues to grow in population, crime has decreased for the fourth year in a row, according to new data from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
While there were over 3,100 new residents in Clarksville, crime rates, and offenses themselves, have continued to decline, with almost 700 fewer crimes reported in 2021 (12,769) compared to 2020 (13,455), according to the TBI 2021 Crime in Tennessee report.
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Clarksville’s crime rate dropped from 83.48 major crime reports per 1,000 residents in 2020 to 77.7 in 2021. That marks a major reduction since 2017, at which time the crime rate was 106.04. That’s even more notable considering the uptick in population during that time, according to Casey Williams, communications specialist for the City of Clarksville.
Types of crime in Clarksville
Crimes are categorized into groups of offenses in the TBI report.
Clarksville’s highest number of offenses were in the Crimes Against Persons category, with 2,349 reported simple assaults in 2021. The report showed that 1,363 of those assaults were cleared.
In the Crimes Against Property category, shoplifting was the No. 1 reported, with 952 offenses and 423 of those cleared.
The top crime in the Crimes Against Society category were drug and narcotic violations, with 1,523 offenses, and 1,232 of those cleared.
There were 15 reported murders in 2021, the same number as those reported in 2020. Clarksville has had 14 or 15 murders per year every year since 2017.
Crime rate over time
Clarksville’s major crime rate has, for the most part, remained below 100 incidents per 1,000 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.
Major crimes (Group A offenses) per 1,000 in Clarksville over time:
- 2021: 77.7
- 2020: 83.48
- 2019: 91.66
- 2018: 102.5
- 2017: 106.04
And the local crime rate used to be far worse. From 2002 (the first year of data available) to 2009, the rate stayed above 100 per 1,000 residents, hitting 121 in 2007.
Compared to other cities
Clarksville continues to have one of the lowest crime rates in Tennessee compared to the state’s other largest cities.
While crime rates can be affected by population density and other factors, Clarksville also leads the way in percentage of crimes cleared, according to TBI data.
Major crimes (Group A offenses) per 1,000 in cities over 100,000 population, 2021:
- Nashville (pop. 690,553): 101.87 with 26.39% cleared
- Memphis (pop. 649,444): 153.45 with 21.96 % cleared
- Knoxville (pop. 191,463): 103.4 with 44.38% cleared
- Chattanooga (pop. 186,222): 141.04 with 26.6% cleared
- Clarksville (pop. 164,336): 77.7 with 44.15% cleared
- Murfreesboro (pop. 155,652): 76.36 with 30.01 cleared
Police chief: Accreditation is key
Police Chief David Crockarell attributed the improved crime rate to his officers, who work every year to earn the department accreditation with the Commission on Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies.
“The Clarksville Police Department prides itself on being a professional organization that treats everyone with dignity and respect regardless of status or stature,” Crockarell said in a city news release. “As a CALEA-accredited agency, we work together to hold ourselves accountable and hold ourselves to a higher standard. Every employee here at CPD is involved and strives to make each other better. They work hard for the citizens of Clarksville and Montgomery County so they can feel safe, and the data from the TBI Crime Report shows just that.”
In order to continue this downward trend, CPD continues to promote initiatives like “Slow Down Clarksville” and “Park Smart.” Residents are encouraged to lock their vehicles, secure their valuables, and take their keys with them.
“Together, we can make a difference,” Crockarell said.
Chris Smith contributed to this report.