NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Do Nashvillians feel safe in their neighborhood? A new report shows some residents feel less safe this year than last year, despite a drop in crime.

According to Metro Nashville Police Department data, crime is trending downward, but that's not what some Nashvillians think.

"A lot of that is perception, and perception is reality," MNPD Chief John Drake said.

According to a new report by the Nashville Police and Public Safety Alliance, residents perceive crime is rising citywide, though fewer believe it's rising in their neighborhoods. Drake pointed to social media.

"With the constant influx of information from social media and other avenues may actually drive a lot of that opinion and perception, some of that information may be partially factual; it may not be factual at all," Drake said.

But residents in different neighborhoods have different perceptions of their safety, and a lot of neighborhoods don't always feel safe to the people who live there like Patricia Miller.

"At least two people have died right in front of our house just getting one tire off the pavement, and that's really tragic, and that was from speeding and being impaired, and that should not happen. We need more traffic calming solutions," Miller said.

Miller is on the board of Cane Ridge Community Club, one of the neighborhoods listed as feeling the least safe out of all the neighborhoods tested, with more than half saying crime is rising. Antioch and Priest Lake are on that list, too.

"It would be great to have more police presence," Miller said.

"I can understand their concerns," District 32 Metro Councilwoman Joy Styles said.

Styles believes the opening of the new MNPD precinct in Southeast Nashville will help residents feel safer.

"The visibility that people are going to have of officers on motorcycles, in police cruisers, making their presence known," Styles said. "It's going to cut back on people feeling like they can take advantage of the system and may take a long time for an officer to arrive to a scene."

Drake agreed.

"It's going to improve response times and hopefully it will help with the perception that crime is on the rise," Drake said.

The Southeast Precinct is expected to open on Nov. 7.

Residents in The Nations, Sylvan and Charlotte Park feel that crime is rising in their neighborhood with high concerns for their personal property over the last year.

Residents in Madison and Goodlettsville also think crime is rising in their neighborhoods.

Despite safety concerns in other parts of South Nashville, perceptions of safety are higher in Woodbine/Wedgewood Houston and Berry Hill than in the city overall.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/nashville/perception-vs-reality-nashvillians-fear-of-rising-crime-grows-even-as-rates-fall/