Patrols credited with cut in Lafayette crime

• By JASON BROWN
• Advocate Acadiana bureau
• Published: Dec 2, 2008 - Page: 1B -- Acadiana Edition - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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LAFAYETTE — Authorities reported only minor problems over a busy kickoff weekend to the holiday shopping season.

Both the Lafayette Police Department and the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office increased patrol efforts over the weekend in an effort to curb criminal activity.

The Police Department utilized extra officers on overtime pay, who worked the area on horseback, motorized Segways, marked and unmarked police units and on foot.

Meanwhile, the Sheriff’s Office saturated busy shopping areas with up to 12 deputies as part of its “Safe Holiday Campaign.”

Stansbury said the Sheriff’s Office had few if any problems

The high-visibility of law enforcement in the area appears to have worked.

According to figures from the Police Department, its officers responded to about 45 calls for service Friday, the busiest of the three-day weekend.

Two of those calls were in reference to shoplifters, one at the Acadiana Mall and the other at a Wal-Mart.

Cpl. Paul Mouton, spokesman for the Police Department, said police also had one traffic-related arrest while working 12 crashes along the Johnston Street and Ambassador Caffery Parkway corridor.

Police also issued 83 citations for traffic violations along that area, he said.

He said police also responded to a number of calls regarding suspicious people or circumstances.

Mouton said he believes that extra patrols and officers helped curb any potential increase in crimes.

“I think crime is about opportunity, and if you were shopping in Lafayette in any of the major retail areas, I think you saw law enforcement presence,” Mouton said.