New high-tech crime-fighting techniques could lower crime in Rocky Mount

The Rocky Mount Police Department is using a new high-tech approach to fighting crime throughout the city.

Through enhanced focus patrols, the police department is hoping to continue a downward trend in overall crime in the city – and make residents feel safer.

Police chief Robert Hassell told WRAL News that the plan combines increased officer presence in problem areas of the city with a data-driven briefing on the types of crimes being reported in the neighborhood, initiated by the city’s crime analyst.

“What we have done with our enhanced focus patrols is, as soon as she starts seeing an increase in crime in a particular area of our city, we want to focus our patrol officers and the patrol division on those areas,” Hassell said.

The enhanced focus patrol initiative was tested as a pilot program in November before being rolled out citywide this year.

Whenever officers aren’t on an active call, they’re supposed to head to the enhanced focus area to patrol.

They’re also given a breakdown of what types of crimes and community concerns are being reported there.

“That way they know what to look for,” Hassell said. “When they’re on patrol, having that information readily available to them, hopefully they’ll be able to hone in and concentrate on those particular concerns in that neighborhood.”

Hassell said the initiative wasn’t just about enforcing though.

In each enhanced focus area, the department also planned to hold community engagement events and conduct home surveys.

“So that we can improve not just the crime in the neighborhood, but also the quality of life,” Hassell said.

The police chief told WRAL News this new plan has come after overall violent and property crimes in Rocky Mount have dropped by 20% over the past two years.

He also said police data showed that the number of shots fired over the first three months of the year was down compared to 2021.

“So hopefully over the next several months we’re going to see some reductions in some crimes in those identified neighborhoods, improved quality of life for our citizens in those identified areas, and hopefully continue that initiative throughout the duration of our department,” Hassell said.

Still, Shotspotter data showed a steep rise in gunshots in the city in the month of March, and WRAL News has spoken with multiple citizens in recent weeks who have said they’ve started to feel less safe in their neighborhoods.

The police chief said it would be up to his department to change that.

“I understand that,” Hassell said. “But I assure our citizens here in our city that the numbers are trending down, and the men and women of this department working with our citizens here in the city are doing everything within our power to ensure that we continue to push these numbers down.”