Chief Tim Lentz has released the 2016 crime statistics for the City of Covington, showing a 14% reduction in the overall crime rate based on FBI Part I reported offenses. In 2016 the Covington Police Department continued to base its mission around a community-oriented policing philosophy. This philosophy focuses on building and maintaining relationships with our community through outreach programs, as well as day-to-day interactions with the public by our officers. Our youth continued to be a major focus with many of our outreach programs, including a summer camp, working with the Boys & Girls Club, giving gifts at Christmas, and more.
Mayor Cooper and Chief Tim Lentz made the following joint statement, “We can proudly say a 14% reduction in crime illustrates that the hard work and dedication to community-based policing by our officers has proven to be a success.” In 2015, the Covington Police Department responded to 510 crimes meeting the criteria for FBI Part I Uniform Crime Reports. Last year, that number fell to only 440.
Drug abuse is an epidemic that continues to plague our entire nation. Last year the Covington Police Department lead an effort to start the Operation Angel program in St. Tammany Parish, a first of its kind in Louisiana. Through this program, anyone seeking help for drug addiction can now walk into any police station in St. Tammany Parish and be admitted into a treatment program. They can turn over any unused narcotics, without fear of arrest, and be transported to a treatment facility by an officer.
Police officers in Covington were also equipped with nasal Narcan last year, a live-saving drug that helps to reverse the effects of an opiate overdose. Officers have been successful in deploying the drug multiple times to patients who were overdosing. In March of last year, a fatal drug overdose led to the first homicide since 2007. In that incident, investigators were able to identify and arrest the man suspected of selling the fatal drugs to the victim.
Traffic crashes continue to be the most common call for service. In 2015 the Covington Police Department responded to a total of 698 crashes, 76 of those resulting in injuries. Last year, in addition to the crime rate, the number of traffic crashes fell to 667, with 70 of those resulting in injuries.
Traffic related incidents are one of the most preventable and the Covington Police Department has continued working toward increased driver awareness, through programs like the “I Got Caught” t-shirt campaign and mock crashes at schools.
The Covington Police Department is open 24/7
Emergencies: 911 Non emergency: 985-892-8500
