NEW IBERIA, La. (KLFY) – Law enforcement in New Iberia is fighting a wave of increasing crime.

Crime is not isolated to just one specific part of town.

Sheriff’s deputies have responded to calls in just about every corner of the city.

Car burglaries and theft are the most reported crimes lately.

“During the course of the last few months, we have been noticing that not only was there not a more concentrated criminal activity in each of the neighborhoods like in the past, but the criminal activity had spread throughout the city,” Captain David “Spike” Boudoin, told News 10.

Boudoin, who is the Director of Community Relations for the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office also says his department does not take these crimes lightly.

“We have stepped up patrol and we have intelligence gathering officers that are out there gathering information to try and determine who the players are.”

Law enforcement is also working closely with neighborhood watch groups.

David Merrill is part of the District Four neighborhood watch and says the organizing of the community has proven effective.

“People are really seeing the need to be able to come together as a neighborhood to be able to watch out for one another, to be able to help the police do their job,” Merrill said.

New Iberia Mayor Freddie Decourt says there is a need for more police presence.

The mayor explained he will be asking for a half-cent public safety tax to pay for more law enforcement in the city.

“It’s an issue that is not going to go away overnight. Knowing that it’s something we have to deal with, we are ramping up our efforts across the board,” Decourt said.

Over the course of the coming council meetings, Mayor DeCourt plans to discuss the future of law enforcement in the city.

The current contract between the city of New Iberia and the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office ends in July 2017.