CHARLOTTE, NC — CMPD Chief Kerr Putney says the city has grown, and the number of calls to 911 has grown, but not the number of officers in his department.
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In 2008, CMPD asked city council to hire 250 new officers, but only received half that amount.
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“The big thing is the growth. We are growing by 1.24 percent per population every year. You should be accounting for growth in infrastructure, including pubic safety, and that hasn’t occurred,” says Chief Putney.
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He told city council when new officers were hired in 2008 crime dropped.
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“When we received the 125 that we got you see a dramatic reduction: 30 percent from 2009 to 2011,” says Putney.
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The latest stats show overall crime is up almost 11 percent and homicides are up 47 percent. Violent crime has seen a 17.5 percent spike.
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And home invasions, which WCCB Charlotte has learned the department is now tracking, are up 50 percent.
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Semantha Bunce, the latest victim, was feeding her four-month-old son when two men broke into her East Charlotte home last week, shooting her at least twice.
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Paul Bunce, her father in law says, “She started to come down when they busted in the door. She went back, and she defended herself the best that she could.”
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Reco Dawkins, Jr. turned himself in Sunday and faces multiple charges.
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CMPD plans to work with neighborhoods to restore trust and create more of a presence in communities, and hopes council will help with funding.
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“We need to put our money where our mouth is and invest in the best people we can get,” says Chief Putney.
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