Will The Dangerous Ranking Impact the Local Economy?

Shreveport-Bossier ranked the tenth most dangerous metropolitan area in the nation, according to a Morgan Quitno Press study. That report tarnishes the safe and good image that businesses depend on year after year to attract people to the region. "Our chief of police has come out and said out crime rate is down, compared to last year," explained Lisa Johnson, Executive Director of the Bossier Chamber of Commerce. "Violent crimes they categorized as what you would typically think murder, forcible rape, robbing and aggravated assault. These are the things they combined," said Susan T. Beal, Director of LSUS Center for Business and Economic Research. The information is collected from F.B.I. data; data some say could not be flawed. "I don`t know how they could be wrong, I would have no reason to believe anybody would be manipulating the numbers or would be interpreting the numbers wrong other than factual," commented Beal. That doesn`t have the Bossier Chamber of Commerce concerned when it comes to wooing new businesses to the area. "Other businesses that are looking to locate in this area, they look at statistics whenever they come to relocate, they call the area directly," explained Johnson. Johnson believes that is the key, talking to people who are living here. Even though she knows there will some impact, she doesn`t think it`s enough to put a damper on the holidays. "I think those that are coming in for the holiday season that are coming in to enjoy the Christmas activities, to enjoy the shopping that will be coming for the Independence Bowl know what we have to offer and they will still going to be coming."