New crime statistics from the Corpus Christi Police Department (CCPD) reveal a wide disparity in crime rates across the city’s districts, with crime in District 1 six times higher than crime rates in District 5.
During a CCPD's presentation to city leaders last Tuesday, data from 2020 to 2024 showed the most common crimes in these areas included burglary, murder, theft, and aggravated assault.
District 1 Councilman Everett Roy said he wasn’t surprised by the data.
“A lot of the crime that I see is centered around after-hours establishments,” Roy said. “When you take a look in general where the homeless population is around our city, there’s a lot of issues; mental health issues. I happen to believe a lot of crime is related directly to mental health issues.”
Meanwhile, Councilman Gil Hernandez, who represents District 5, credited the area’s low crime numbers to increased community engagement and stronger neighborhood collaboration.
“In District 5, you have a lot more neighbors, neighborhood watches, HOAs. You’ll have more participation from the community in limiting crime,” Hernandez said.
Neighborhood News Reporter, Alexis Scott, visited both districts to speak with residents about the disparity. Many in District 5 said they felt safe and cited security cameras and active neighbors as effective deterrents.
“We have deterrents," District 5 resident, Susan Brezina said. "A lot of people have put in cameras. I think that goes a long way in deterring criminals.”
In District 1, business owners said economic inequality and a lack of resources are partly to blame. However, many agreed that enforcement needs to be stronger.
“The cost of living downtown versus on the Southside is kind of a jump," Manager of Retro Corpus Christi, Aubrey Bartee, said. Less cost of living, more homeless population. Just get more strict about it. I feel like the more rules, the less you’ll have that image.”
City leaders said they are aware of the disparities and are working on targeted enforcement plans, community engagement, and more outreach partnerships to better support high crime areas like District 1.
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