Last year, crime was down in Neosho according to a report presented by the city’s police chief Tuesday night. KRPS’s Fred Fletcher-Fierro has more.

Neosho police chief Jason Baird presented the 2021 Year End Crime Statistics Report on Tuesday night to the Neosho city council. The report details that nearly all types of crime were down in the city last year. Violent crime in Neosho, according to the report, increased by nine percent from 2020. While reported property crimes dropped by 36%.

Chief Baird Tuesday night speculating on why overall crime figures were down in Neosho last year. “Crime by a whole throughout the city is down by 24%. I really don’t know why, probably COVID. Probably lack of reporting crime.”

In 2021, Neosho police officers responded to 16,572 calls, averaging to about 690 per officer throughout the year. According to the report, there was a 55% decrease in the number of stolen vehicles, but a 34% rise in the number of reported robberies from 2020 to 2021. For 89 9 KRPS, I’m Fred Fletcher-Fierro.