PORTSMOUTH, Va. — While there was a reduction in homicides from 2022 to 2023, Portsmouth Police Department Chief Stephen Jenkins said there's a need for more officers. He wants to hire 40 to 50 more in the year to come.
In a forum with the community Wednesday night, Chief Jenkins also talked about a new initiative to develop relationship between police and citizens.
Chief Jenkins said the department went from 164 officers in 2022 to a low of 158 officers in 2023.
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"We need more officers," Jenkin said. "Our total allotment of officers right now is 253."
The chief also noted that violent crimes which include assaults, rapes and robberies were down about 2.5% in the last year. That also includes homicides of which there 43 in 2022 and 39 in 2023.
"Not the number we were looking for, but it's a start," the chief said. "So we're going to take every reduction we can get."
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Hampton Roads 2023 Homicide Tracker
News 3's homicide tracker shows there have four homicides to date in 2024.
Charles Crest with Stop the Violence 757 told News 3's Jay Greene more police officers will help with community involvement efforts.
"We need more boots on the ground," Crest told Greene. "The more committed involvement we have with the police, the more we know them, we can help stop some of these [crimes] before they start."
Chief Jenkins introduced "Portsmouth United" Wednesday night. It's a community-based approach, based on a similar approach in Omaha, Nebraska, that's aimed at reducing gun violence.
"It's important to know who has what resources so that when we run into these problems, we know where to send people for additional help," Jenkins said.
The police chief said he's doing his part to reduce crime and strengthen relationships in the community, but he said it's also up to the public to do their part.
