City of Jonesboro issued the following announcement on Nov. 23.
In a press conference, Jonesboro Mayor Harold Copenhaver and Police Chief Rick Elliott said recent gun-related crimes in the city have been related and do not represent random crime.
That said, the City leaders are committed to preventing such activity and have met extensively about ways to further reduce all crime in Jonesboro.
“The shootings this week involve one group of people trying to settle their disputes with gunplay,” Elliott said. “We know there are witnesses to the crime, although they are reluctant to reveal information out of fear of retaliation. It makes our job harder, but sometimes the only way we can make a case is with forensic evidence.”
Despite the recent spurt of gun activity, JPD crime statistics remain consistent year to year, thanks to continuing commitment by the mayor’s office and the hard-working staff of the police department to find new and cutting-edge strategies to prevent and solve crime in a constantly growing city.
“Year over year, violent crime in Jonesboro has not changed much per capita,” Copenhaver said. “That said, if you are the victim of a crime, statistics don’t matter. I don’t want people to be afraid, and times like this are frustrating because Jonesboro is and will continue to be a safe city for law-abiding residents. It will also be a bad place for people who want to commit crime.”
Gunshot incidents to date in 2021 total 67, which matches exactly the number from 2019, as of Nov. 23. The number to date in 2020 was down to 47, likely attributable to the pandemic lockdown.
“We will continue to invest in public safety and dedicate the resources to make arrests and get criminals off the streets,” Copenhaver said.
Original source can be found here.
Source: City of Jonesboro
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