CMPD Releases Crime Rates for 2016

From WBT.com, January 31, 2016

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police Chief Kerr Putney presented 2016 crime statistics for the city of Charlotte Tuesday.

Putney said that in 2016 CMPD handled 475,000 calls for service and made almost 20,000 arrests. He also added the department seized 1,758 guns.

CMPD tweeted both violent and property crime were up ten percent in 2016.

Putney said there were 68 homicides in 2016, up 16 percent from the year before.

Putney added people are too quick to resolve disputes with gun violence.

He also added auto theft was up 25 percent and larceny from auto was up 32 percent.

To counter the increase in crime Putney is requesting more officers.

“We still need 125 more officers,” Putney said. A request the city was unable to meet last year.

“Luckily though, we got funding for 15 through a federal grant,” Putney said.

Putney said officers will be assigned throughout Charlotte to the areas with the greatest need.

Putney also discussed police-involved fatal shootings.

He said there were five fatal officer-involved shootings in 2016 and made a plea to citizens.

“The time to handle a disagreement with a police officer is not during that encounter on the side of the road,” Putney said.

“Have your day in court, cooperate,  communicate, and allow us to deescalate,” Putney said.

CMPD has hosted several community engagement workshops and Putney asked that residents make an effort to get to know a police officer.

“It’s hard to hate up close up,” CMPD tweeted.

Putney is hoping to bridge the gap between the community and officers and rebuild trust in the community.