On Tuesday, Sept. 14, a town hall was held at the RC Events & Conference Center. This event was held by Queen City Watchdog, a group whose self-proclaimed goal is “to ensure all elected officials of Greene County and Springfield, Missouri, do not abuse their power.”

The town hall was centered around crime in the Springfield area, with several guest speakers who were there in order to give their opinions on how to lower crime in the area, as well as to answer questions posed by the crowd.

A recent study by the FBI named Springfield as the “fifth most dangerous metro area in the country,” something most people in attendance of the town hall found concerning.

However, before any speakers could take the stage, some statistics were presented to those in attendance. According to Queen City Watchdog, crime in Springfield has risen exponentially over the last few years. In 2020, there were 2,667 violent crimes that occured in Springfield, 2,055 of which were assaults and 23 of which were murders. It is also currently projected that one in 65 people in Springfield will be the victim of a violent crime at one point or another.

Another troubling statistic is that of sexual assault in Springfield. The city’s rate is currently 4 times higher than the national average, with 2.12 people out of every 1,000 being a victim. This is compared to .43 out of every 1,000 for the national average.

So, it’s clear that Springfield has a crime problem. But what is the solution? The first to try and tackle this question was Greene County Sheriff Jim Arnott.

Despite the fact that the town hall was specifically about crime in Springfield itself as opposed to the surrounding area, Sheriff Arnott came to speak, as Springfield Chief of Police Paul Williams did not attend.

The first question the sheriff answered was in regards to his experiences in public safety. Arnott responded by citing his 33 years spent in the Sheriff’s Department. He then went on to say that the media is partly to blame for the trending crime rate, although he did not elaborate on why or how.

Arnott then proceeded to say, as far as crime is concerned, repeat offenders are one of Greene County’s biggest problems. He called for truth in sentencing and a change in the probation/parole process to help resolve this.

He also talked about the homeless population in Springfield, and the problems he believes they cause. As an example of this, he told a story of a scene he responded to where a homeless man had broken into a house. The homeowner chose to shoot the man, a decision that Sheriff Arnott not only congratulated, but encouraged among the audience.

“Protect your family and neighbors,” Arnott said.

As controversial as Arnott’s opinion may be, he was not the only one who expressed such sentiments at the town hall. Another speaker, Chelsea White from Isabel’s House, an organization that helps take care of children for short periods of time when their parents cannot, also gave her thoughts on Springfield’s homeless population.

“We provide them too many resources to stay homeless,” White said.

White also stated that 98% of the families that utilize the services of Isabel’s House are below the poverty line and homelessness is a significant factor. Despite the many comments made about homelessness throughout the night, no one offered statistics about crime rates among the homeless, or proposed solutions to help those experiencing homelessness in Springfield.

The third speaker of the night, Melanie Bock of the Galloway Village Neighborhood Association, mostly spoke about the importance of community and looking out for one’s neighbors. Bock said she had moved to Springfield because she felt it was a safe place for her family, and she has grown disheartened over the years due to the sudden increase in crime. She specifically called for more police presence in Springfield parks.

Springfield City Council member Angela Romine also spoke at the town hall, yet, neither questions asked to her by the audience or her answers were centered around crime. They were mostly regarding the belief that Springfield’s Chamber of Commerce is corrupt.

The last speaker of the night was Officer Rippey, the officer in charge of public relations for the Greene County Sheriff’s Office. Rippey began by saying that she cannot speak for the Springfield PD, although she did mention that Greene County tries to lend help to the department any time they request it. She also mentioned that the “primetime” for crime in Springfield is between the hours of 3 a.m. and 5 a.m.

Another scheduled speaker, City Council member Craig Hosmer, was present at the town hall via Zoom, although he had to leave due to a prior engagement before any questions were posed to him.

Overall, not many solutions to Springfield’s rising crime rate were offered, despite being the supposed goal of the town hall. Maybe one day Springfield will go back to the peaceful place some remember it being, but for now, keep your eyes sharp and your doors locked.