LIMA, OH (WLIO) - Crime numbers went down in 2024 in the city of Lima, and the police chief sat down with us to talk about keeping the trend going.
One area that Chief Baker says he wants to see some reduction in is homicides.
Lima Police Chief Jim Baker says that his department is looking at a 24% decrease in overall crime numbers in 2024. There is some data that needs to be added for December, but Chief Baker says he is glad to continue the downward trend in crime that the department had in 2023. And he attributes the lower numbers to several different areas.
Technology has been a big benefit, especially with the FLOCK camera systems; they have recovered more stolen vehicles and issued warrants. The PACE team has been working hard in the community, and they are also seeing benefits to the West Central Ohio Crime Task Force, which some Lima Police Officers are part of.
Baker says he wants to continue with the positive interactions that his officers have been having with the community and continue the trend of lower crime numbers next year.Â
"They have, over the last year and a half, almost 2 years, have successfully have brought together some very, very important cases that has affected the drug trade in Lima/Allen County and has sent a major chilling effect. Some of the sentences they have had been able to successfully get 15 years, 20 years, 10 years. Some of these young people, thinking about selling drugs, that makes them pause and go, I don't know if I want to do that here in Lima," says Chief Baker.
One area that Chief Baker says he wants to see some reduction in is homicides. There were 6 in 2024 and 6 in 2023. While one homicide is one too many, the police department will be looking at to take more illegal guns off the street.
"One of the things that has been helpful that is coming up, it's called NIBINS (National Integrated Ballistic Information Network). It is a way to track guns; it's a way to track shell casings. Where now they are getting DNA off of those shell casings, and we are maybe able to connect some more dots, and that is something that we will be looking at," adds Baker.
Lima Police Chief Jim Baker says that his department is looking at a 24% decrease in overall crime numbers in 2024.
Baker says he wants to continue with the positive interactions that his officers have been having with the community and continue the trend of lower crime numbers next year.Â
