Jamestown Police Chief Tim Jackson speaks at “Safer Jamestown N.O.W.” press conference (June 20, 2023)
Jamestown’s Police Chief is clearing the air on public safety data.
Mayor Eddie Sundquist presented an array of public safety statistics related to the first six months of 2023 at a press conference Tuesday on new community policing initiative, “Safer Jamestown N.O.W.”
Republican City Council members refuted that data, comparing it to several years worth of public safety data from the Jamestown Police Department’s annual Public Safety report.
Police Chief Tim Jackson said the information presented by the Mayor was apples to apples, with crime data from January 1 through May 31, 2022 being compared with the same time period this year.
In comparing this year to last year in that time frame, gun related offenses decreased by 45% and confirmed shootings have decreased by 4 incidents. Domestic violence cases have decreased by 9%. Jackson said he sees this trend continuing going forward, “We’re taking a more proactive approach on gun violence and confiscating and seizing illegal firearms off the street, whereas we’re not just reacting anymore after a shooting, we’re actually being proactive before the shooting happens and we’re finding success in being proactive and getting guns before they’re used illegally.”
Jackson presented at the “Safer Jamestown N.O.W.” press conference a number of initiatives the Jamestown Police Department already has underway to try to reduce crime, “In January of ’21, we created the position of Community Resource Officer to increase our community engagement and to keep the public informed. We also increased our community directed beat patrols. In fact, last year was one of the highest numbers, highest year of beat patrols that we have completed in the history of the Police Department.”
Jackson said a Quality of Life Officer dedicated to handling complaints about loud music, loud vehicles, and fireworks came on board in May. He said in less than two weeks, that officers has already issued 38 violations and made in-progress arrests and executed several warrants.
Jackson added that a Violence Interruption Officer position was created in May to combat violent crime. He said in one week that officer made seven felony and five misdemeanor arrests with several of those offenses being gun charges.
Captain Scott Forster said when it came to $261,000 in Gun Involved Violence Elimination, or GIVE, grant money the city is receiving, New York State has increased its focus and funding across the state, “Every GIVE jurisdiction received more money this year. It was just on a percentage of violent crime and shootings, so Jamestown is considered at Tier 2 site now, or I should say, Chautauqua County is considered a Tier 2 site now. So, we can focus now more on violent crime and gun violence, not just gun violence. So, it all depends on the amount of gun violence and violent crime in that jurisdiction.”
Forster said the Jamestown Police Department, in conjunction with the Department of Development, will be holding four community meetings, “Part of the GIVE grant this year is focusing more on community outreach and youth engagement. So, with the money we’ll be holding more community outreach events where we’re going to have the public come. We’re going to meet with them. It’s going to be run by the Police Department and just to find out what people’s concerns are directly in their neighborhoods to try to get more information.”
The meetings will be held at 6:00 p.m. on:
Thursday, July 6 – Allen Park
Thursday, July 20 – Jackson-Taylor Park
Wednesday, July 26 – Lillian Dickson Park
Wednesday, August 2 – Bergman Park
These meetings will be in addition to community meetings Mayor Sundquist announced would be led by the Human Rights Commission. Those meeting dates have yet to be announced.
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