AMARILLO, TEXAS -- Thousands of Texans call the city of Amarillo home. With county lines dividing the city, residents can find the perfect mix of both the vibrant downtown vicinity in Potter County, and even a quiet suburban area in Randall. According to the Amarillo Police Department, crime rates are down five percent. But depending which side of county lines you fall under, that may determine what type of crime your neighborhood is fighting.
"The total number of crimes committed on a yearly basis is in the ballpark of each other," said Randall County District Attorney, James Farren. "The big difference between the two counties is the kind of crimes."
Farren states that Potter County has more violent crimes like drive-by shootings, more homicides and assaulted conducts. He stresses that Randall County has their share, but they have much more property crime. Out of the 10 homicides reported to the Amarillo Police Department, eight of them happened in Potter County. Corporal Jerry Neufeld of the Amarillo Police Department states that some crimes are more prone to happen because of the number of people there. "It will happen in a type of situation or setting and again, where there's more foot traffic," said Neufeld. "You're going to see a little bit of an increase coming there."
The Amarillo Police Department reports burglary rising 2.2% from 2011. "Statistically, there would probably be more burglaries in Randall County versus Potter County because they're more homes, they're more targets," said Neufeld. "It's just more opportunities."
Neufeld states that the police will continue to work on directed patrols. He believes the increased patrols throughout the city have helped cut crime over a year period. "It's been very successful. We've made a lot of contacts. We've made lots of arrests. And we're going to continue without a doubt in the next few years."
