Memphis Police report that crime was down over the holiday weekend, largely in part to MPD's "SkyCops."
MPD Sgt. Karen Rudolph said incidents of crimes this Christmas shopping season at potentially high crime places like malls were at a minimum.
"Overall everything went pretty smoothly," she said. "The SkyCops were great."
It's because of their greatness and effectiveness that the Memphis Police Department uses them where they're needed most.
"We have about 12 to 13 SkyCops that are covering high traffic areas like malls and shopping centers and things like that," Rudolph explained. "Anywhere we put them the crime rate goes down."
The SkyCops are monitored through the Real Time Crime Center where police can see crimes as they happen. "We'll see someone that's breaking into a car and we'll follow them down the block around the corner and they're on tape," Rudolph said.
Rudolph added the SkyCops, partnered with police on the ground patrolling during the holiday season, are a very valuable crime fighting tool because "it's very important to be seen to deter any crime that could happen."
