VPD is being rewarded with a slow but steady decline of what is considered “part one” crimes such as aggravated assault, battery, rape and larceny.

These examples are not exhaustive, but they do include categories, which have seen a definitive decrease in frequency.

VPD has recovered $1,663,187.00 of stolen property and has fewer requests for service in what is statistically, a drop to 70,499 in 2021 from 73,920 in 2020. The reasons for this may have something to do with the recent pandemic, such as when gun violence jumped 30% in at least seven different states.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shut down a vast majority of different services that would have otherwise brought relief to communities who needed it, which involve police and social services.

With the slow advancement back to our normal lives, that number has decreased, filling many officials and police with hope for a better outcome in the following years.

Despite this, the surveys show that the rise in gun violence has nothing to do with the rise in gun sales.

According to Injury Epidemiology, another theory concludes that the reason for finding more guns is that due to civil unrest these past two years, people have simply started to carry their arsenal with them, instead of purchasing anything new.

Still, here in Valdosta, the praise that go to our police department should be substantial at the very least. We are protected, and the officers are actively doing their best to maintain order in our communities.

“Our department, like many other law enforcement agencies, has felt the sting of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Chief Manahan on VPD, said. “Yet every day, our officers still decide to put on their badges and uniforms and go out to serve our city. We want to assure our residents that we have and will continue to enforce the law.”

Written by Amanda Russell, Photo credit of The Spectator.