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PORTSMOUTH — Twice as many people were killed in Portsmouth last year as in 2019 — nearly all with guns, interim Police Chief Scott Burke said Friday.
The city saw 34 homicides in 2020 compared to 16 in 2019. Several of the victims were young children, including a 13-year-old boy and a 7-year-old girl killed in separate shootings in December.
Overall, violent crime in the city was down by about 4%, Burke said during a “State of the Department” briefing streamed live on Facebook. To address violent crime, including the spike in homicides, Burke said police have divided Portsmouth into three districts, with a patrol captain overseeing each.
During Friday’s virtual briefing — which lasted about 15 minutes — Burke talked about the department’s staffing shortage, how the coronavirus pandemic affected policing and directives that were sent to officers over the summer, amid a nationwide push for policing reform in the wake of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis.
Burke did not, however, address several issues that made 2020 a tumultuous year for the department, including the firing of Police Chief Angela Greene and the felony charges that were filed — and later dismissed — against state Sen. Louise Lucas and 18 others in a June protest and vandalism at the city’s Confederate monument.
The police department asked residents and reporters to submit questions in advance of Friday’s event but did not take questions live.
He did not answer a Virginian-Pilot question about why police believe homicides rose so sharply.
Burke said the department currently has 73 vacancies. That’s about 30% of what would be considered a full staff of 259 officers. The city and department have beefed up recruitment efforts and are offering referral and sign-on bonuses. Burke previously told the City Council that police would be partnering up with sheriff’s deputies to help with the shortage.
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In response to calls for police reform, the department started a community advisory committee made up of 15 residents who review police policies, programs and initiatives to identify gaps, Burke said.
“We are happy to report from Portsmouth that the use of chokeholds and other submission tactics have not been authorized in this city for many, many years,” Burke said.
Officers have a duty to intervene and stop “situations once they start to get out of control.” He said officers were re-issued directives last year to clarify those policies.
“We expect our officers to keep our citizens safe,” Burke said.
Burke said the coronavirus pandemic had a “tremendous effect” on the department’s community involvement. Officers typically do RESET walks after violent crimes, walking through a neighborhood and knocking on doors to talk to residents about their concerns. But those were “dramatically reduced” because of COVID-19.
Burke said the department supports social distancing, wearing masks and the vaccine, and he encouraged the community to take precautions to reduce the spread of the illness.
Margaret Matray, 757-222-5216, margaret.matray@pilotonline.com