(Radio Iowa) – Waterloo’s crime rate fell six-percent last year, and an annual report credits the police department’s community engagement efforts. Violent crime is down nearly four-percent in the past year, property crime plummeted 17-percent, a for the first time since the pandemic, the city’s police department is fully staffed. Police Chief Joe Liebold (LY-bold) says that increase of about 15 officers enables the department to engage with the community more meaningfully. The chief says it’s easy to see the connection as it’s clearly making a difference to have more officers interacting with more citizens every day. Liebold also partially credits the drop in the crime rate to ongoing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training for his officers.