Paul Bass Photo
Chief Jacobson updates press at Thursday's briefing.
Police believe they’ve identified the killers in four recent homicides, and new license plate-reading technology helped track down key cars in two.
Those were among the updates at a crime briefing officials held Thursday afternoon at 1 Union Ave. police headquarters.
The update took place the day after the city saw its fourth homicide already in 2023, the killing of 40-year-old Alexander Pedraza.
Police Chief Karl Jacobson said at the briefing that the four homicides do not appear connected. Pedraza was shot by someone with whom he appeared to be having a dispute, as captured on video footage, Jacobson said. He said it may have involved money. He said Dontae Myers’ Jan. 1 homicide appears to have stemmed from a “group or gang conflict”; Charles Miller’s Jan. 6 killing from “a dispute over drug activity”; and Kentel Robinson’s Jan. 4 fatal shooting (also caught on camera) from an apparent robbery.
Cops used footage from newly installed license plate-reading cameras to track down and confiscate vehicles involved in two of the four 2023 homicides, Jacobson said. One car was driven by someone fleeing the scene, the other by someone who was firing shots.
The department has submitted applications for arrest warrants for review by the State’s Attorney’s Office in “several” recent homicides, including one of the 2023 incidents, according to the chief.
Multi-pronged strategists: Community Services Administrator Mehul Dalal, Violence Prevention Coordinator Reuel Parks, Asst. Police Chief David Zannelli.
Elicker: Progress. More to do.
Jacobson and Mayor Justin Elicker spoke at the press conference about final year-end crime statistics from 2022 as well as efforts underway in the new year to tackle gun violence.
Violent crime dropped 11.9 percent, property crime 7.3 percent, and other crime 17.7 percent, in 2023 compared to 2022, according to the newly released official numbers.
Robberies rose 8.7 percent, while nonfatal shootings (down 0.9 percent) and motor vehicle thefts (up 1 percent) remained basically flat.
“When you look at the big picture, we have made progress,” Elicker stated.
“That being said, it is clear we have a lot more work to do,” as reflected in the string of four homicides in the year’s first 18 days.
The conference featured the above chart summarizing the administration’s strategy for tackling gun violence in 2023. Elicker said the strategy includes building on initiatives that are already working here, like the street outreach program and Project Longevity; adding efforts that are working in other cities, like boosting video surveillance; and working with adults most likely to be involved in gun violence through a new “PRESS” program along with other non-police-oriented, including the “COMPASS” crisis response team.
“The police have an intelligence unit. We need a social service intelligence unit for those most at risk,” said city Community Services Administrator Mehul Dalal.
Chief Jacobson added that a new machine in the building will enable detectives to obtain DNA test results in 24 – 48 hours rather than the current six-to-eight-week time frame; and a soon-to-go-live “video wall” in a “real time crime center” on the PD’s third floor will enable cops to monitor all video footage and ShotSpotter reports in real time. Both developments will help investigators jump on promising evidence more quickly, Jacobson said.
The new technology sounds great. I hope there's actual follow through for that. But I'm a bit befuddled at the "diversifying the NHPD" bit in the diagram. I understand the general concept of that and the overall importance of it....but what does diversifying the NHPD have to do with stopping all this gun violence? Do they think these reckless and violent individuals will say to each other "hey let's stop shooting each other because the police department is doing a better job of diversification"? Come on.