Focus Four And Violent Crimes Down In Hopkinsville

The Hopkinsville Police Department faced a devastating challenge in 2018 with its first officer shot in the line of duty in four decades, but overall crime and violent crime reportedly decreased in the city from previous years. That’s according to data released by Chief Clayton Sumner. He says they combined from 2010 to 2018 to see if their philosophies were working in their focus four crimes, which includes robbery, burglary, shoplifting, and theft by unlawful taking.

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Chief Sumner adds there was a significant drop in overall crime in the city over an eight-year period.

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Chief Sumner says everyone will agree any violent crime is too much, but the reality is there will always be these crimes somewhere. However, adds the violent crimes they track in the city — murder, manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault — also showed a significant decrease.

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He notes the overall decrease in crime can also help bring positive attention to the community and help attract people to Hopkinsville and grow the population when they see it’s a safe place to live.

Chief Sumner says 2018 was an unusual year because they experienced their first line of duty death in over 40 years when Officer Phillip Meacham was shot and killed in March, which takes a toll on the entire department. He says it makes officers start to wonder about the career path they have chosen, the dangers become more realistic and it touches home. However, Sumner says he’s proud of his officers for continuing to push forward and make things better in the community.

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Sumner was officially hired as the police chief in January 2015 after serving as the interim chief when Guy Howie retired in the summer of 2014. Sumner has been with the police department since 2002 when he worked as a patrolman with the gang unit and trained as a hostage negotiator. He was promoted to lieutenant in 2010 and became a captain in 2012.

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