CMPD Celebrates Uptown’s Declining Crime Rate, Residents Suggest Putting Down the Clipboard 🚨📉

Uptown Charlotte is apparently on the mend—at least if you trust the numbers on CMPD’s latest slideshow. The department reported a 5% drop in violent crime, a 7% dip in property crime, and a 5% uptick in arrests in 2024. But while these statistics look great on paper, the reaction from residents and City Council members could best be described as a collective eye-roll.

Councilmember Malcolm Graham put it bluntly: “If you don’t feel safe, you’re not safe.” After all, it’s hard to savor a drop in property crime when just this weekend a man was killed near the Spectrum Center, one of Uptown’s most prominent landmarks. Sure, arrests are up, but that doesn’t erase the lingering tension Uptown locals experience when strolling around the city core.

So, what’s CMPD’s big plan to fix the disconnect? A community survey—sometime in 2025. Because nothing says “we’re listening” like emailing a questionnaire to people who are already vocal about what’s wrong. Rather than addressing concerns face-to-face, the department seems content to collect digital data points and hope that works as well as a human conversation. If that feels a bit like handing out suggestion cards in the middle of a fire drill, you’re not alone.

Here’s a radical idea: Instead of distributing surveys, try meeting the people who are making Uptown better. Last weekend’s SOLD OUT Fourth Ward Sip & Stroll was a prime example of what community engagement should look like. This annual neighborhood event brought together residents, volunteers, and local businesses to celebrate the very heart of Uptown. On Sunday at 2 PM, there was a volunteer appreciation party—real Charlotteans giving up their free time to support their city.

Imagine if CMPD brass had shown up there, shaken a few hands, asked residents how they’re feeling, and listened to their concerns. They might have learned more in an afternoon than any survey could ever reveal. They could have gotten feedback on the spot about issues like the lingering discomfort some feel near places like Romare Bearden Park, where a New Year’s Eve shooting injured several people. It’s not as if these stories are hard to find; they’re reported extensively by The Charlotte Observer and known to anyone paying attention.

City Council members like Graham have stressed that the problem goes beyond numbers. Councilmember Tiawana Brown noted the need to address issues across Charlotte, not just its glitzy center. But Uptown is supposed to be the gem of the Queen City, a place of commerce, entertainment, and civic pride. When that gem feels tarnished—no matter what the data says—you’ve got a perception crisis that a Google Form can’t fix.

It’s simple: if CMPD wants to improve Uptown’s safety and public trust, they’ll need to spend less time huddled over charts and more time walking the streets. Put down the spreadsheet, skip the survey, and talk to the people who live and breathe in Uptown Charlotte. They’re already out there, hosting events, volunteering their weekends, and rolling up their sleeves to shape their city’s future—no multiple-choice questions required.

Jack Beckett