SCHERTZ, Texas – TheSchertz Police Department has rolled out a detailed new way to report crime to the community, with the goal of transparency and communication.
"We did have a burglary of habitation. The entry was made through a window, and we had a couple burglaries of buildings," Schertz police Officer Helen LaFitte said.
LaFitte scrolled through the brand-new weekly crime log. The department rolled it out Monday, but from now on will be posting it every Tuesday afternoon.
The first week's results have already surprised some community members.
CLICK HERE TO SEE CRIME STATISTICS IN SCHERTZ
In the past week, there were seven car burglaries just in the Schertz subdivision Belmont Park. In every single one of them, the vehicle was not locked.
"Totally shocked and taken unaware. I did not know that at all," said Deborah Wright, who has lived in Belmont Park for 11 years.
Wright couldn't believe there was so much going on in her small neighborhood that she didn't know about.
"Our neighborhood is safe but no neighborhood is safe enough to leave your car unlocked," she said.
That's the exact response LaFitte was hoping for. When she sees weekly crime trends she plans to include related safety tips.
"We'd like to remind everyone remove your valuables in your car and always lock the doors," she wrote in the Facebook post.
The logs will go up on the City of Schertz website. Go to services and then to police. Then click on services, public information, and then scroll down to click on crime stats.
That link will be shared on the Schertz Police Department's Facebook and Twitter pages.
"What type of mode of operation it was, if it was forced entry, an unlocked window like we have," LaFitte said, listing all the details that will be available.
"Absolutely, I'd check it," Wright said.
Wright and LaFitte hope the system will help to lower the crime rate.
Schertz police want this system to encourage neighbors to start talking more with each other, and, together to report crime when it happens.
As times goes on, the department will start comparing crime from month to month and, eventually, from year to year.