NORFOLK, Va. — Cracking down on crime—we all have a role to play.
WTKR's Law Enforcement Analyst and retired Norfolk Police Chief Larry Boone shares his legacy and his crime-fighting message to Hampton Roads with News 3's Kurt Willilams. Boone is also in the running to be the top cop in other cities across the country.
Kurt: What would you say on the local levels, to city councils, the one thing they can do to really try to take a bite out of crime?
Boone: Well it's not necessarily one thing, really I have to say it's two things. Number one, they really have to focus on their police departments and making them healthy in terms of compensation, in terms of their mental health and wellness. Number two, on a local level they really have to be serious about the flow of illegal guns into some of the black and brown communities.
Kurt: That would be a state issue...
Boone: But it doesn't echo unless it comes from the ground level, ok? The ground level.
Kurt: But you'd like to see the council members put a little heat on our state lawmakers?
Boone: That's correct.
Kurt: What would your message be to parents?
Boone: I would say to parents, if you have a young man or a young woman coming home late, you need to address that. If you have an individual that's coming home with gold chains and cell phones and clothing you know you did not purchase, you have to address that. Take a look at their cell phone, take a look at their social media accounts, see what's going on there.
Kurt: What should or could the church be doing for those kids who don't have involved parents?
Boone: They have a responsibility to bring stakeholders from those communities together with law enforcement and talk about what are some of the issues that are impacting the community.
Kurt: Isn't the toughest way to be on crime is to prevent it from happening in the first place?
Boone: That's correct, but that's also costly. And that requires you to implement programs like after-school programs, mentorship programs, rec centers.
Kurt: What do you want your legacy to be here in Norfolk?
Boone: I want my legacy to be that I fought hard, was the voice for those that historically have not been heard.
