WEST COLUMBIA, S.C. — The West Columbia Police Department has plans to release crime statistics monthly on social media as a means of building trust with the community.
West Columbia resident Cherry Horton Reidenbach said that when she hears sirens in her community, she wants to know the reason.
"You hear all the sirens going on but you just don’t know what’s happening," she said. "It’s that little game of telephone where you whisper in someone’s ear…"
So that the information residents hear is accurate, the West Columbia Police Department will now be releasing monthly crime statistics on Facebook.
Investigations Captain Matthew Deas said it "all comes back to transparency." He said publicly releasing this information is a step in building trust.
"Transparency is important to us because we have to have the community’s trust," Deas said. "If we don’t have the community’s trust, then we’ve lost pretty much everything. We have to have legitimacy with the community."
David Moye, a council member for West Columbia's eighth district, said he thinks this is a good move for the community.
"As time goes on, it shows us that transparency almost always brings about the best outcome," he said.
Michelle Swancey has lived in West Columbia for 53 years. During that time, she said she's seen a lot of change - especially in crime rates.
"We enjoy the small town we used to have but we know it’s growing," she said. "A lot of people are moving here. It’s a great place to be. But with that has come a good bit of crime."
To deal with that crime, Swancey said she's looking forward to learning more about how officers are patrolling. Being able to see the statistics on Facebook, she said, gives her peace of mind.
"I think if you’re here to make our city, our town, our state - whatever you are - a better place, you need to let us know what you’re doing. We need to know what’s going on behind the doors," she said. "And, so far, I’ve felt pretty good about the statistics. Seeing those things actually helps us know how we really are doing."
That's what Deas is hoping for.
"We can take a look at the numbers and we can figure out if what we’re doing is working," he said. "And if not, we can retool and try something else."
Getting this information not only helps residents know what officers are doing, but it informs them about the community they live in.
Reverend Kenneth Taylor has been in the community for 15 years and said there has been a "high level of crime in the community" that has risen over the years.
"There’s always been the complaint from citizens that they just weren’t aware of what the police were doing," Taylor said. "And so this helps with transparency, it helps with them just being outright with what’s happening in our community, and it better empowers our community to respond to the type of activities that are taking place."
The statistics will be posted to the department’s Facebook page each month. In order for these statistics to be accurate, they need to be reported.
"I think it’s a wonderful thing to be able to see the statistics; however, I question that all the statistics are correct," Reidenbach said.
This is something that the department recognizes.
"We need your help in reporting it and getting it to the police department," Green said.
Deas said that if you want to anonymously report a crime, you can call CrimeStoppers of the Midlands at 1-888-CRIME-SC.