ABBEVILLE, La. (KLFY) -- Abbeville Police Chief Mike Hardy said 2024 was a pretty good year.

Calls for service went down by 937 calls from 2023. In 2024 they had a total of 7,276 calls in the City of Abbeville.

“It shows that a good police presence will bring down the calls and also by more officers, we can respond to the calls quicker,” Hardy said. 

Live Oak Manor had 245 calls last year and Stonebridge Apartments had 184 calls. Hardy said that number is unusually high for those locations.

"So, you know, it's important to have security there where these tenants have someone to report to if it's a minor thing and then if it's something major, we will respond,” he said.

He said Stonebridge Apartments was required by ordinance to hire security guards, and they will be writing tickets until they comply.

Hardy said a total of 71 firearms were taken off the streets of Abbeville last year. 

“Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's not," he said. "But this is usually people that have guns and they're either stolen or they've committed an illegal discharge or attempted murder, and we pick them up during the year. So 71 is not a bunch of guns, but it's a lot of guns for people on the street.”

In 2022 when he became chief his department was about 15 officers short of a full quota. Now they are almost a full staff, just one person short of a full complement.

“As we hire more officers. It's just quieter in town," Hardy said. "We haven't had as many shootings, knock on wood, but it's something that I'm hoping that the people will mature and stop acting like kids are getting out there and shooting in the air and shooting at people's buildings and, you know, causing damage and also scaring a lot of elderly people.”

Hardy said his departmenty also started zone patrols on New Year's Day.

“We have our unit across the bayou," Hardy said. "We have one south of Charity and one north of Charity. That's our three-zone field. I feel by doing this, it'll be leaning more toward community policing."

Hardy said that is important, because the people in those neighborhoods will recognize the officers.

"We want our officers to know the people in our town, and we want the people in town to know the officers," he said. "When you know someone you're less likely to give them a hard time and you know, the background. You know, if it's someone who gives you a hard time when you're patrolling, it's maybe someone you need to watch.” 

His first goal for 2025 is to encourage people to let him start doing neighborhood watch in their areas. 

“The main thing for neighborhood watch is for people to be friends with their neighbors," Hardy said. "A lot of people won't talk to the neighbors anymore. We live a fast-paced life and no one talks to the neighbor and it's probably the best security you have for your house is the person watching your house every time you go through the front door."

Latest news