Covington Crime Stats Down 22% in 2017

Covington Crime Stats Down 22% in 2017

Chief Tim Lentz has released the 2017 crime statistics for

the City of Covington, showing a 22% reduction in the

overall crime rate based on FBI Part I reported offenses.

In 2017, the Covington Police Department continued its

strategy of reducing crime through a community-oriented

policing philosophy.

This philosophy focuses on strengthening relationships with

our community through outreach programs and day-to-day

interactions with the public and our youth.

In 2016, the Covington Police Department responded to 440

crimes meeting the criteria for FBI Part I Uniform Crime

Reports. Through the hard work of the officers who serve

our community and their dedication to our philosophy of

community policing, that number fell to an astonishing 345

reportable crimes last year.

Mayor Cooper states, “I commend Chief Lentz and the

dedicated members of the Covington Police Department for

their hard work and dedication to the safety and service of

our community.”

Chief Tim Lentz Announces Operation Angel with Parish Wide Support

Drug abuse continues to be an epidemic that affects our

entire nation. In March of 2016, Chief Lentz led an effort

for the creation of Operation Angel, a program designed to

combat drug addiction. Through this program, anyone

seeking help for drug addiction can walk into any police

station in St. Tammany Parish and be admitted into a

treatment program. In 2017, the first full year that

Operation Angel was in effect, more than 50 people took

advantage of the program through the Covington Police

Department alone.

As with previous years, traffic crashes continue to be the

most common call for service. In 2016, the Covington

Police Department responded to 667 crashes, with 70 of

those resulting in injuries. Last year, in addition to the

crime rate, the number of crashes fell to 627, with 70 of

those resulting in injuries.

The Covington Police Department continues to work toward

increased driver awareness, through programs such as the “I

Got Caught” t-shirt campaign and mock DWI crashes as local

schools.

“While the importance of crime statistics cannot be

understated, and we are ecstatic about the fourth

consecutive year of reduced numbers of crimes reported, the

real success of our agency lies in the relationships we

have built with the citizens in our community. We are

truly blessed to live and work in a community that cares.”

– Covington Police Chief Tim Lentz