NORFOLK — State and local leaders lauded a holistic crime reduction initiative Wednesday they said contributed to a decline in violent crime rates in several Virginia cities last year.
Thirteen cities across the commonwealth are part of Operation Ceasefire, an initiative launched in October 2022 that blends an approach of prevention, intervention and prosecution efforts and isn’t just about locking up criminals, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares said at a Wednesday news conference at the Slover Library.
Altogether, the recorded 7,374 violent crimes (including murder, rape, aggravated assault and robbery) in 2023. That was 225 fewer compared with 2022, according to data provided by the attorney general’s office.
The five Hampton Roads cities involved in the initiative saw mixed results from 2022 to 2023.
- Norfolk had 1,254 violent crimes in 2023, down 26%
- Portsmouth had 813 violent crimes in 2023, down 8%
- Chesapeake had 1,076 violent crimes in 2023, down less than 1%
- Hampton had 421 violent crimes in 2023, up 5%
- Newport News had 1,614 violent crimes in 2023, up 40%
Newport News was the only one of the Operation Ceasefire cities that did not see a reduction in any of the four violent crime categories. The city recorded more homicides in 2023 than in any year in at least five decades.
Part of the Ceasefire program includes a grant system that provides economic support to local groups, such as Ketchmore Kids in Newport News, to make inroads with youth, starting in elementary school to prevent them gravitating toward gangs, said Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates Don Scott, a Portsmouth Democrat.
Activities and groups like youth sports organizations can make young Virginians feel less isolated, especially after the coronavirus pandemic, according to Miyares.
“You have to invest in young men’s lives to show them not to go down a separate path but a path of hope and dignity,” he said.
Also, Operation Ceasefire means backing prosecutors to be able to effectively do their jobs.
Scott said he was inspired to seek funding for a statewide witness protection program after hearing stories from Hampton Roads prosecutors that witnesses didn’t feel safe coming forward and that was a huge hurdle to solving cases.
Scott also recalled hearing from residents during a civic league meeting who voiced concerns about fewer police during the political climate of the “defund the police” movement in the wake of the George Floyd killing in 2020.
“People in the most impacted communities, they want to see the presence of law enforcement,” Scott said. “People say they don’t understand, especially in Black and African American communities, [where] a lot of times there’s that stereotype that’s not true. We want to be safe.”
Howard Gwynn, Newport News Commonwealth’s Attorney, also lauded the program’s support for prosecutors to be able to secure convictions.
Miyares’ office has added over a half dozen prosecutors to help with violent crime cases, aiding in 117 federal cases and 38 state cases since the initiative was set up. . Of those, 106 cases have resulted in guilty pleas and 41 are still pending trial, according to data provided by the attorney general’s office.
Scott and Miyares also said they are working in the digital realm, such as buying ads explaining the legal consequences for illegal firearm use before videos that are circulating of local criminal behavior as method of prevention.
Ian Munro, 757-447-4097, ian.munro@virginiamedia.com
