Portsmouth, Va. - The city's new police chief says she's looking to address a staffing shortage and build trust in the community.
Right now, the city is down 17 officers, according to Chief Tonya Chapman. "We just have to rearrange our resources to make sure that public safety comes first," Chapman said. "It's a challenge." The department is working to speed up the hiring process.
Changes are also coming to how officers are assigned throughout the city. They'll now based out of three geographical districts throughout the city.
It's a move Chapman hopes will allow the same officers to work in the same neighborhoods everyday and build trust. "That's one of my first priorities, probably my largest priority, to be able to build those trusting relationships in the community," said Chapman.
Chapman inherits the police department following a violent year in the city, and says in many cases witnesses aren't coming forward to detectives. "Silence breeds violence, so if the community isn't speaking up to to help us then they are condoning the behavior in the neighborhood," she said. She noted recent efforts to work with churches in establishing anonymous tip boxes.
The department has faced its share of scrutiny. A former police officer is charged with murder for killing an 18-year old last spring. Chief Chapman says she can't speak to the case because she wasn't here, but says departments nationwide are being watched closely. "It's challenging to be a police officer these days, but it goes back to us being able to rebuild and remarket ourselves, and show that we are the noble profession that we signed up for," Chapman said.
