PORTSMOUTH, Va. — There's a difference between the perception of safety and the numbers. That's what Portsmouth Police Chief Stephen Jenkins said at his quarterly forum last week.
Folks in downtown Portsmouth told News 3 Wednesday that they love the city and feel safe but believe there's a negative perception.
"Do you think Portsmouth gets a bad reputation in terms of public safety and crime?" News 3 reporter Erika Craven asked residents.
"Yes, yes," Portsmouth resident Jamilah Washington replied.
Many people like to stay vigilant, just in case.
"Just because I have a daughter who is a teenager and she's between Portsmouth and Norfolk all the time, so I make sure I am aware of what's going on not only for my safety but hers as well," Washington added.
Making sure the public feels safe is one goal of the police department, which shared how the city is doing in terms of crime this quarter.
Chief Jenkins said unfortunately there's a nearly eight percent increase in violent crime from the same time frame last year. He said that's largely driven by aggravated assaults and shootings into businesses and homes, especially from domestic-related incidents.
"That conflict resolution continues to be one of the situations that plague us. We urge individuals to find other ways to resolve their issues without moving to weapons," Jenkins stated.
Chief Jenkins also mentioned some positive trends: a nearly 70 percent reduction in homicides this quarter and a nearly 19 percent decrease in overall crime so far this year.
"We're very sad about those individuals who lost their lives senselessly but we are trending in the right way with those numbers being down. No time to celebrate but we want to note the progress we are making as a city. And I say a city because public safety involves all of us. It's not just the police department involved in making our city safe," Jenkins said.
Residents in the area told News 3 they'd still like more transparency and community policing from the department.
Those are things the department said it's working on. Chief Jenkins noted that they've seen results with some efforts, like a QR code initiative that News 3 reported on in February. In that initiative, officers scan QR codes placed in certain businesses to encourage officers to visit the location, build rapport with the public, and address issues before they arise.
The police department is also rolling out an online dashboard to track crime in the city to increase transparency and improve public safety, which is expected to launch in May.
