Martinsville, Virginia — Police say an investigation is ongoing in Martinsville, where police continue to investigate a weekend shooting that left one man injured, but overall crime rates are down.
Martinsville Police Chief Robert Fincher said the days when Martinsville was once among the top 10 most crime-ridden cities in the state are over. Crime is down 38% compared to last year.
“It's really reassuring to know that the crime rate has gone down,” Martinsville resident Olivia Aaron said. She said, “I'm very happy because it's a comfortable place to live.''
“I come from a really big city, so coming to a small town, I think I feel a lot safer here,” said Natalie Aaron, a Martinsville resident. “As girls, we feel safe walking downtown.”
Fincher said he couldn't believe the numbers at first.
“There was some discussion that if we told people about this, we would jinx ourselves and it would end up being a rebound or something, but this is too good news to keep quiet about.” Fincher said.
The most common crimes that are on the decline include simple assault, which is down 43%, and theft, which is down 56%. Fincher said there are several factors that may be contributing to the decline.
“It’s kind of a combination,” Fincher said. “One of the things I particularly admire is our people. Our people seem to be engaging with police officers more than ever before.”
Fincher said new technology is also helping. They installed 42 cameras at traffic lights around the city. AI technology can detect license plates of suspects as they drive by, making it easier for police officers to track suspects.
“They can pull up video of the area they're responding to,” Fincher said. “You can see what’s happening live, get tag numbers for every vehicle, and receive alerts for vehicle theft entering the city.”
Fincher said he hopes the crime reduction spreads across the region, not just the city.
Copyright 2024 by WSLS 10 – All rights reserved.
