AND THESE SERVICES WILL BE AVAILABLE AS SOON AS NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.... <> "IT'S A GRACE OF GOD AND I THINK IT'S A LOT OF HARD WORK BY A LOT OF GOOD PEOPLE." THE CITY OF SAVANNAH'S HOMICIDE RATE IS A LOT LOWER .. COMPARED TO THIS TIME LAST YEAR. WHILE THERE'S BEEN 3 WITH-IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS .. THERE'S STILL A 75- PERCENT DECREASE. WJCL 22 NEWS' EMMA HAMILTON INVESTIGATES .. WHAT THE CITY AND POLICE DEPARTMENT ARE DOING TO MAKE SAVANNAH SAFER. <> ONE SHOOTING IS ONE TOO MANY" SAVANNAH POLICE MAJOR MICHELLE HALFORD AND SAVANNAH MAYOR VAN JOHNSON AGREE THAT HOMICIDES BEING DOWN IS GOOD NEWS ... BUT THERE'S STILL MORE WORK TO BE DONE. MAYOR VAN JOHNSON SAYS GUNS ARE STILL A MAJOR ISSUE IN SAVANNAH. IN 2022 ... GEORGIA GOVERNOR BRIAN KEMP SIGNED A NEW LAW ... ALLOWING MOST RESIDENTS TO CONCEAL CARRY WITHOUT A LICENSE. <> "WE HAVE GUNS EVERYWHERE. THE STATE OF GEORGIA HAS DECIDED THAT GUNS SHOULD BE EVERYWHERE SO WE CAN'T BE SURPRISED WHEN GUNS SHOW UP EVERYWHERE." MAYOR JOHNSON BELIEVES STRICTER GUN LAWS WOULD LEAD TO LESS SHOOTINGS IN THE CITY OF SAVANNAH. <> "WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE CRIMINAL RECORDS WHO SHOULD NOT HAVE GUNS. WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES WHO SHOULD NOT HAVE GUNS. WHO HAVE A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE WHO SHOULD NOT HAVE GUNS. <> WE HAVE KIDS WHO SHOULD NOT HAVE GUNS." FOR JUVENILES .. HALFORD SAYS THE DEPARTMENT HAS RE-LAUNCHED PROGRAMS FOR KIDS TO TRY AND KEEP THEM OFF THE STREETS. WHILE HOMICIDES ARE DOWN ... AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS WITH A GUN ARE UP. <> "WE HAVE TO IDENTIFY THE PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT THERE SHOOTING AT EACH OTHER AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS BETWEEN THESE GROUPS OR INDIVIDUALS." HALFORD SAYS THE DEPARTMENT IS WORKING DILIGENTLY TO CONTINUE TO REDUCE VIOLENCE ACROSS THE CITY. <> "I REALLY BELIEVE WE ARE TAKING ALL OF THE DATA WE RECEIVE THROUGH INCIDENT REPORTS, THROUGH OUR TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES. <> AND JUST PUTTING OFFICERS IN THE RIGHT SPOT AT THE RIGHT TIME TO REDUCE CRIME." EH ASKS QUESTION: <> OVERALL VIOLENCE ACROSS THE CITY, LOOKING AT STATS FROM SAVANNAH POLICE, IT IS DOWN. HOW DO YOU THINK WE CAN CONTINUE ON THIS TREND FOR THE REST OF THIS YEAR AND MOVING FORWARD? <> "KEEP PRAYING. KEEP WORKING. I THINK YOU HAVE TO HAVE BOTH. I THINK YOU HAVE TO MAINTAIN THAT THIS IS NOT OF US ALONE BUT ON THE OTHER END OF IT WE HAVE TO KEEP WORKING EVERY SINGLE SITUATION. EVERY SINGLE TIME
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Data: Savannah homicides plummet by 75 percent. But gun crimes remain persistent
By this time in 2021 and 2022, there were already 16 homicides.
The City of Savannah's homicide is way down compared to this time last year.So far in 2023, there's been four.In 2022, year-to-date, there were 16 homicides and in 2021, there were also 16. “It’s a grace of God, and I think it’s a lot of hard work by a lot of good people," Savannah Mayor Van Johnson said.The past few weeks have been violent, with three of those four homicides happening within city limits. However, there's still a 75% drop compared to years prior. Savannah Police Major Michelle Halford and Johnson agree that homicides being down is good news, but there’s still more work to be done. Johnson says guns are still a major issue in Savannah. He says laws like the one Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law last year, allowing most residents to carry without a license, are to blame. TRENDING STORIESRebel Wilson action-comedy movie set to film in Savannah. Want to be in it? Here's howTyler Perry Studios crew seen filming new movie in Savannah neighborhood. Here's what we knowSavannah doctor back behind bars, now charged with child molestation"We have guns everywhere. The state of Georgia has decided that guns should be everywhere, so we can’t be surprised when guns show up everywhere," Johnson said. He believes stricter gun laws would lead to less shootings in the city of Savannah. "We have people who have criminal records who should not have guns. We have people who have mental health issues who should not have guns, who have a history of violence who should not have guns," Johnson said. He continued, "We have kids who should not have guns."For juveniles, Halford says the department has re-launched programs for kids to try and keep them off the streets.While homicides are down, aggravated assaults with a gun are up."We have to identify the people who are out there shooting at each other and figure out what the problem is between these groups or individuals," Halford said. Halford says the department is working diligently to continue to reduce violence across the city. "I really believe we are taking all of the data we receive through incident reports, through our technology resources, and just putting officers in the right spot at the right time to reduce crime," she said. According to statistics, overall violence across the city is down. Johnson believes it's possible to continue on this trajectory. "Keep praying and keep working. I think you have to have both. I think you have to maintain that this is not of us alone, but on the other end of it, we have to keep working every single situation. Every single time," Johnson said. "We still have far too many domestic violence situations. If it’s not working out for whatever reason. Just leave. Don’t take the violent route out."
SAVANNAH, Ga. —
The City of Savannah's homicide is way down compared to this time last year.
So far in 2023, there's been four.
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In 2022, year-to-date, there were 16 homicides and in 2021, there were also 16.
“It’s a grace of God, and I think it’s a lot of hard work by a lot of good people," Savannah Mayor Van Johnson said.
The past few weeks have been violent, with three of those four homicides happening within city limits. However, there's still a 75% drop compared to years prior.
Savannah Police Major Michelle Halford and Johnson agree that homicides being down is good news, but there’s still more work to be done. Johnson says guns are still a major issue in Savannah. He says laws like the one Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law last year, allowing most residents to carry without a license, are to blame.
TRENDING STORIES
- Rebel Wilson action-comedy movie set to film in Savannah. Want to be in it? Here's how
- Tyler Perry Studios crew seen filming new movie in Savannah neighborhood. Here's what we know
- Savannah doctor back behind bars, now charged with child molestation
"We have guns everywhere. The state of Georgia has decided that guns should be everywhere, so we can’t be surprised when guns show up everywhere," Johnson said. He believes stricter gun laws would lead to less shootings in the city of Savannah.
"We have people who have criminal records who should not have guns. We have people who have mental health issues who should not have guns, who have a history of violence who should not have guns," Johnson said. He continued, "We have kids who should not have guns."
For juveniles, Halford says the department has re-launched programs for kids to try and keep them off the streets.
While homicides are down, aggravated assaults with a gun are up.
"We have to identify the people who are out there shooting at each other and figure out what the problem is between these groups or individuals," Halford said.
Halford says the department is working diligently to continue to reduce violence across the city. "I really believe we are taking all of the data we receive through incident reports, through our technology resources, and just putting officers in the right spot at the right time to reduce crime," she said.
According to statistics, overall violence across the city is down. Johnson believes it's possible to continue on this trajectory.
"Keep praying and keep working. I think you have to have both. I think you have to maintain that this is not of us alone, but on the other end of it, we have to keep working every single situation. Every single time," Johnson said. "We still have far too many domestic violence situations. If it’s not working out for whatever reason. Just leave. Don’t take the violent route out."
