Good news for residents of Horn Lake, MS – Overall crime was down in 2010 compared to the previous year. According to the numbers reported in a recent Desoto Times-Tribune article, the total number of arrests and reports in Horn Lake were both down in 2010, with several categories pertaining to stealing and assault posting double-digit decline rates. “In a down economy you would expect all of the categories to go up but that’s not the case,” said Horn Lake Police Chief Darryl Whaley. “I attribute a lot of it to good police work and I say that because I think our employees do a good job.”

The Horn Lake police department concentrated on several high concentration areas for theft, and it has apparently worked. Burglaries fell by 14 percent from 143 cases in 2009 to 123 in 2010, and grand larcenies fell by 17 percent from 226 cases in 2009 to 188 in 2010. Chief Whaley also contributes part of the decrease to improved involvement by citizens and extra police patrols. Overall, the Horn Lake police made 1,861 arrests in 2010, down from 1,986 arrests in 2009. Fewer reports were also filed in 2010, down from 3,937 in 2009 to 3,248 in 2010.

We are very encouraged by the reduction in crime during these challenging economic times, and would like to thank the Horn Lake MS police department for their efforts in protecting and serving our community. Unfortunately, there are still many cases where good people get caught in very difficult situations that result in being arrested for serious mistakes or very poor judgment. If you or someone you know needs help, it is important for you to contact a qualified and experienced Mississippi Criminal Defense attorney.

According to a February 2011 article in the Desoto Times Tribune, crime in Southaven for 2010 was down from previous years. According to Southaven police chief, Tom Long, there were only 17 robberies (lowest in 20 years), 529 shoplifting incidents (compared with 639 in 2009), and a significant decrease in felony and non-felony larceny cases. Chief Long attributes the decrease to a more involved community, citing to the fact that the police department received more than 10,000 more calls in 2010 than they did in 2009. Long also attributes the decrease in crime to increased police presence in the city, indicating that citizens and business owners have noticed the extra visibility in patrol vehicles. Finally, Long admits that the decrease in shoplifting charges is also attributable to the fact that several large retailers have closed in harsh economic times.
No matter how diligent the citizens, no matter how aggressive the law enforcement agency, there will always be those who choose to commit crimes in our community. For every arrest that is warranted, the same is true that there are arrests that are unwarranted. If you have been charged with a crime (shoplifting, domestic violence, assault, disorderly conduct, failure to obey law enforcement, resisting arrest, driving under the influence (DUI), possession of marijuana or other drugs, possession of paraphernalia, or any other misdemeanor charge in Southaven), we can help. Please call for a free consultation with a Southaven criminal defense lawyer.

According to a recent article by the DeSoto Times-Tribune, Desoto County, MS drunk driving arrests made over the New Year’s Holiday were relatively low. Only 30 alcohol related arrests were made during New Years Eve and Day for the entire county of over 150,000 residents. However, to many including local law enforcement, it is still unacceptable. “I know the county is growing so all of our numbers are increasing but it’s still a little much,” said Southaven, MSPolice Chief Tom Long. “For New Years Eve and Day, that’s not extraordinary but for any other night it would be.” Long said any number of DUIs is too high. “There is just no excuse for it,” Long said. “At this day and age, you can get rides. Why would you jeopardize you or your families safety?”

Increased drunk driving education, extra patrols and inclement weather during the holidays contributed to the number being lower than expected. “You have to realize it was raining until midnight pretty hard,” said Horn Lake, MS Police Chief Darryl Whaley. “I think that put a stymie on it a little bit. The other thing is, we put a lot of emphasis on not drinking and driving and a lot of times people will really watch that on holidays.” Overall, there were 57 DUI arrests for the entire week of New Years and 62 total alcohol related arrests for all of DeSoto County.

We applaud law enforcement in their efforts to make our roads safer, and encourage everyone to abstain from drinking and driving. Unfortunately, people make mistakes and sometimes people are wrongfully charged with driving under the influence by overzealous law enforcement. Anyone charged with a DUI in Mississippi has it in their best interest to fight the charges against them, or face severe penalties, fines, and possible jail time. It is extremely important to find a highly skilled North Mississippi DUI lawyer with the resources and experience required to aggressively fight for the best possible outcome in your drunk driving case.

Southaven, Horn Lake, Olive Branch and Hernando residents that routinely visit establishments in Memphis, TN need to be aware of recent changes to TN laws regarding DUI or driving under the influence.

On January 1, 2011, new DUI laws went into effect in Tennessee. The new laws require convicted DUI offenders who have a blood alcohol content of .15 or higher to install an ignition interlock device in their vehicle in order to have a restricted driver’s license. Ignition interlocks require the driver to blow into a device to detect any alcohol use. If it detects alcohol the engine will not start. Other notable changes: the ignition locks will also be required if a minor was in your car at the time of the offense; you were involved in an alcohol-related wreck; or you violate the implied consent law. DUI fines will also be increased to cover the cost of installing, monitoring and removing the ignition devices from vehicles. These are the highlights from theSenate Bill No.2965 to amend the Tennessee Code which was passed and approved in May of 2010.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving is pushing for even tougher laws to be added in Tennessee as well as other states. The organization does support the use of ignition interlock devices, but did not support the Tennessee law in its current form because leaders feel it falls short of MADD’s goals. “Which is to mandate is to mandate ignition interlocks for all convicted DUI offenders,” explains Laura Dial, the executive director of MADD in Tennessee. MADD said that high BAC limits for the ignition devices, like Tennessee’s .15 or higher, has not proven effective in other states, but that in states with all-offender laws in place for anyone convicted of DUI, alcohol-related fatalities dropped by as much 30 percent.

With continued pressure from advocacy groups such as MADD, and politicians looking for ways to appear “tough on crime”, these types of changes to the DUI law will likely continue in years to come. These types of changes make it more important than ever to find quality representation from an experienced DUI attorney. The law is becoming more complex and the punishment and repercussions of a DUI conviction are becoming increasingly severe.