While public safety is a concern in every community, citizens of Terre Haute and Vigo County care about the people who make up its cities and towns. Public safety improvements continue to be a focal point of the See You In Terre Haute Community Plan. Both the declining crime statistics and the overall feeling of safety of its citizens prove that Terre Haute is a safe community.

That decline in violent crime statistics is being felt by the residents that make up Terre Haute and Vigo County. Terre Haute-Vigo County Community Census found in its latest round of surveys that 61% of residents somewhat or completely agree that Terre Haute is a safe community. Only 22% of residents somewhat or completely disagree with that statement. This means an overwhelming majority of our population believes that Terre Haute is a safe community.

Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce Director of Community Engagement Josh Alsip has seen the improvement’s impact on achieving the goals of the See You In Terre Haute Community Plan. “Many agencies have been working diligently to improve public safety in Terre Haute and Vigo County. These numbers are evidence that their efforts have been effective,” Alsip said.

One of the programs that has been implemented to improve safety for residents is the “Choose Law Enforcement Assisted Recovery,” or the CLEAR Program. CLEAR is a collaborative effort, coordinated by United Way of the Wabash Valley, and involving the Vigo County Prosecutor’s Office, Terre Haute Police Department and Vigo County Sheriff’s Office, and providers. Through the program, law enforcement will have a 24/7 option to bring immediate support services by a Peer Recovery Coach, to a detained individual at the point of contact. The program is not a pre-arrest diversion, meaning that individuals will still be cited to court or arrested.

As West Central Indiana looks to grow its population in the coming years, the public safety sector is being equipped with the necessary resources to continue positive momentum and keep residents safe. “Even though there is still progress to be made, we are on the right track,” Alsip said.