ROANOKE, VA – For Roanoke Police - this is what progress looks like:
“Total crime is down 23%,” Chief Scott Booth said.
But according to the Roanoke Police Department’s Q1 crime report, homicides remain unchanged from this time last year.
“Sadly, 7 folks have lost their lives in 5 incidents,” Booth said.
He says while the overall crime numbers are improving, each of those cases still matters.
“When we have a homicide, we move quickly. We identify offenders, we make arrests,” he said.
So far this year, RPD says four people are in custody for five homicides, with another held on unrelated charges. He’s expected to be indicted in May in the February double homicide at Refreshing Church.
One factor helping police move quickly, flock cameras and the real-time crime center.
“We know that flock is a hot button topic. It has become a very good tool for our investigators,” Deputy Chief of Operations Adam Puckett said.
Puckett says quarter, the system supported 99 incidents, leading to 15 arrests.
“One of our most recent homicides we had on Burrell Street. Within minutes of that incident occurring, our teams immediately who work in the roc began looking at video footage and were able to capture the suspect fleeing the scene, getting into a vehicle and leaving the area,” Lt. of Special Investigations William Drake said.
Beyond technology, police say focused efforts in each part of the city are also making a difference.
In Northwest, total crime is down 31%, with violent crime dropping 54%.
“I don’t ever want to say that one particular area is a driver of crime, I don’t want to say that, but a majority of our gun violence, a majority of our violent crime historically has been in the Northwest area of our city,” Booth said.
But as the weather heats up, crime tends to as well.
“I have yet to work in a community where crime doesn’t increase in the summer months,” Booth said.
The department is working to stay ahead, despite budget cuts from the city.
“It’s always harder to do anything when you have limited funds,” Booth said.
Even so, Booth says they’ll do what it takes.
“For said homicide, for said shooting, I’m going to get those resources out there. If we have to pull money from other resources, we certainly will. But I want to make sure that we are relentless in arresting those folks,” Booth said.
Another encouraging sign this year for the department: They say so far, no one under 21 has been involved in any gun-related incidents - either as the suspect or victim.