Shreveport mayor says Gavin Newsom’s crime comparison is misleading

SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – California Governor Gavin Newsom is taking a swipe at Speaker Mike Johnson’s district.

Governor Newsom said Shreveport has a per capita murder rate “six times” higher than San Francisco’s. But Shreveport leaders say it is misleading.

“It’s very difficult to compare San Francisco’s crime statistics to Shreveport’s. We’re a vastly different city.” said, Cpl. Chris Bordelon.

California Governor Gavin Newsom is addressing recent crime trends in Shreveport. Newsom claims Shreveport’s murder rate is higher than the city of San Francisco, according to a post on “x” last week. Shreveport leaders say his statements are false.

“As far as I know, Governor Newsom has never been here, so I don’t know what basis he would have for making such a statement.

Corporal Chris Bordelon says Shreveport has made progress in cutting violent crime.

“When we talk about violent crime in our city, we continue to see lower and lower violent crime numbers. And to compare us to a city like that is not really a fair comparison,” said Bordelon. “It doesn’t represent anything about the city of Shreveport because I don’t recall ever seeing him here.

Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux highlights one of the key issues, which is removing thousands of firearms from the streets and investing in real-time crime technology, which now includes their new mobile command center.

Their focus is on continuing to lower the crime rate.

“We have made great strides in the last 3 years, to reduce violent crime, to reduce our homicide rate, and we’ve done a very good job of that, what we’ve done with the real-time crime center and other technology that we’re using is our clearance rate is between 60% and 70% and when you clear that many cases people can reasonably assume that if they do something they’re going to get caught,” said Mayor Arceneaux.

“It’s very difficult to compare San Francisco’s crime statistics to Shreveport’s. We’re a vastly different city,” said Mayor Arceneaux.