Brainerd Neighborhood Upset Over Police Response to Rash of Break-ins and Burglary

A rash of burglaries and car break-ins frustrates and angers residents in one Brainerd community

Members of the Hilltop neighborhood say they're disappointed in police response.

Police tell us crime is up in Brainerd but still lower than other areas of the city.

Our cameras capture officers questioning and then arresting a man in Brainerd's Hilltop neighborhood...right in front of a house that got broken into Friday.

Neighbors tell me that burglary followed a rash of car break-ins.

They counted around 10 this month alone.

Trey Commander, "I think there was frustration at the car break-ins. I think to this point with the response of the home break in that there's even a little bit of anger at this point."

Anger at what they call a weak response from police along with worry that homeowners might take things into their own hands.

Jerri Weary, Chattanooga Police, "Statistically speaking their percentages are low"

Sgt. Jerri Weary with Chattanooga police points out Hilltop's district reports the highest number of incidents of the four in the delta sector .

Numbers she gave us for the last six months show crime in that particular neighborhood made up around 20 percent of the reports in the district.

As for the entire Brainerd area, or sector three, she says statistically crime is up.

Weary, "We have seen an increase in burglaries for the whole sector, still not higher than that in sector two."

Burglaries are a concern for North Brainerd too.

Clarence Williams, "It's mostly homes where they go in and look for the different appliances, tvs, video lap tops "

The president of that area's community council Clarence Williams says the group's working with police and neighbors to stay on top of it.

That's what they're trying to do in Hilltop too.

Commander, "The neighbors are willing to participate in that process but we need back up from the people that can actually kind of have the follow through once we do our due diligence."

Sgt. Weary points out that police respond to calls based on their level of emergency.

Hilltop's neighborhood association called a meeting with police and city leaders 6:30 Thursday at the BX to discuss their concerns.