E.P.D. Parks 'Crime Truck' To Reduce Violence Near Evansville's Southside
By: Casie Mason
Updated: January 28, 2013
Evansville police are making a statement in the form of four wheels. After seeing an increase in crime near Evansville's southside, police put their crime fighting truck 'The Guardian' in action. Is this big truck making neighbors feel safer? With its tweny-four seven surveillance and intimidating exterior, the E.P.D. hopes to decrease crime anywhere it's parked. Now with reports of gang activity near Covert Avenue, The Guardian has found a new home and residents there are feeling safe."It looks very aggressive. Yeah, very interesting. I would be scared of it if i was a criminal." The Guardian was introduced by the E.P.D. last August, and has since served as a surveillance vehicle decreasing crime activity where the truck is parked. Now with a recent increase in gang violence, police have decided it's time to bring out the truck. "It's mostly this apartment complex that has been bad for years and stuff. The crime rate really does go up especially with the younger kids drinking and smoking and having guns. So yeah, it's really bad out here," says Trevonte bell who lives close to where The Guardian has been placed. He says it's become the talk of the neighborhood. "I think a lot of people are still kind of cautious about it. Talking on their cell phones and what they say. My friends, we talk about it all the time and stuff because they live around here also. We think if they can actually catch some of the main people it would help," says Bell."I'm in the apartment business and I do know that a lot of people are leery about living on the southside now. People talk about it a lot. So, obviously there is something going on that is making people decided they don't want to live there anymore," says Dezarae Sandleben. She says the truck is tax dollars well spent "I think anything to make Evansville a little safer is worth the extra money. I think that anything that is going to show an extra presence of the Evansville Police Department is a positive thing. Let's make Evansville a little safer!"
E.P.D. says their Crime Prevention Unit puts the surveillance truck out in high crime areas, and it's been on the streets about ninety percent of the time so far.
E.P.D. says their Crime Prevention Unit puts the surveillance truck out in high crime areas, and it's been on the streets about ninety percent of the time so far.
