2018 crime stats released for Southwest Florida counties

In the center of Fort Myers, Robert McClain is serving up his homemade barbecue. There is some seafood, rice, macaroni, black beans. But after work, he packs up and goes straight home.

“I’ve noticed a lot of crime,” McClain said. “What I try to do for myself and for my kids is that I go to work and go home.”

McClain stays there. He is happy with new newly released crime statistics, which show that it is decreasing. The data also is provided for Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties for 2018.

The Fort Myers Police Department held a press conference Wednesday to talk about the results and the big takeaway is that so far in 2019 we see a decrease in crime.

The biggest drops are in rape and robbery. Compared to the first half of 2018, the numbers for rape and robbery are down by over 50 percent.

Other areas like aggravated assault are down by 12.2 percent and in total, crime is down 16 percent.

Chief Derrick Diggs says this success is due in large part to the new technologies readily available like the city camera system, real time crime center, and more.

However he says there is still a lot more work to be done, “Our work is not done. As the chief of police I’ve set the bar very high for the members of this police department, and I look forward to this team exceeding our goals in 2019 and beyond.”

LEE COUNTY