The BowlingGreen Police Department is clearing violent crime and property cases at a rate that far surpasses the national average.
The Bowling Green Daily News reports the department had a 77.51% clearance rate in 2012 on violent crimes and a 23.13% clearance rate on property crimes. BGPD's clearance rates are higher than the latest national averages compiled by the FBI which shows a 47.7% clearance rate on violent crimes and a 18.6% rate on property crimes for 2011. The FBI won't have national clearance rates available for 2012 until this fall.
BGPD spokesman, Officer Ronnie Ward, says the local numbers "show the dedication of our detectives and our officers that they do everything they can do to find evidence, to find suspects, to interview people, whatever it takes to get the case." He says the clearance rates in Bowling Green can be attributed to a combined investigative effort of both patrol officers and detectives who work simultaneously and share information on cases.
Along with that, Ward said the community also provides assistance in helping solve particular cases through the anonymous "Crime Stoppers" program.
Bowling Green's clearance rates may change in the coming months with 2012 cases still open. Two homicides that occurred in 2012 remain unsolved.