- Project Safe Neighborhoods is an ongoing effort between Valdosta local law enforcement as well as our state and federal agencies.
- State and federal agents visited the historic Lowndes County courthouse to explain the program to neighbors.
- Watch the video to see what neighbors feel should be done about rising crime.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT
Neighbors have been sharing with me that they want a more proactive approach to the rising crime.
“We do the paperwork and we write up all these proposals setting goals and objectives as to what we're going to do but they seem to never get out to the community like they should."
I'm Malia Thomas, in Valdosta, and I'm speaking with our neighbors about how they feel our local law enforcement can tackle crime.
Meet JD Martin.
He's the head of Valdosta's Citizens Against Violence Ministries.
He became passionate about crime prevention due to a burglary involving his Block Club team leader when he lived in Louisville, KY.
"He was at the door and he got shot 3, 4, 5, times, and for me, going to the funeral and seeing that young man laying up in a casket, it touched me. I realized then I had to do something."
J.D.'s work to end violence in our neighborhoods and reaching out to at-risk teenagers has earned his several accolades in the city. The police department even donated to two cars to CAVM so volunteer groups can keep a watch in our streets.
When I told him about the Project Safe Neighborhood initiative our local agencies are a part of, he was happy to hear it as he wants more direct policing.
"I'm being honest with you I'm tired of meeting I'm tired of talking it's time to put action and that's what we're now we can come and sit down and we're going to do this and do this and do that but it never gets off the ground with the paperwork."
Our city and county law enforcement, as well as state and federal agents, paid a visit to Valdosta to inform them of the Department of Justice's efforts to keep violent crime down.
I caught up with U.S. attorney Peter Leary, and he tells me a big focus on their efforts is gang activity, weapons, and hard drugs.
Their goal? Making sure these criminals will not come back to our neighborhoods.
"What progress have you seen being made with younger neighborhoods initiative so with Project Safe Neighborhoods?"
"A lot of the focus again has been on removing individuals who are the most dangerous in the community and we've seen some very significant sentences for individuals with very lengthy criminal histories of violence and those are people who will not be able to come back into the community because there's no parole in the federal system."
If you have concerns about safety in your neighborhood, there are ways to contact our law enforcement agencies.
