NEW HAVEN, Conn. — After a rise in violent crime across the Elm City, including three homicides in four days, the New Haven Police Department announced Tuesday it is now launching a new crime fighting partnership to stem the tide.
As of Tuesday morning, there have been 83 non-fatal shootings and 22 homicides in just under 8.5 months in New Haven, which puts the city on pace to far exceed last year‘s totals.
Mayor Justin Elicker believes certain city services having been interrupted due to COVID-19 has contributed.
"Violence interruption projects, and activities and parole and probation custom visits, street outreach workers, project safe neighborhoods, project longevity, those types of things," Elicker (D-New Haven) said.
Acting Police Chief Renee Dominguez announced more assistance is on the way for the departments shooting task force.
"And we've incorporated departments from our surrounding towns, state police, the states attorney, to be able to enhance the unit," Dominguez said. "We know that the crime that happens in New Haven doesn’t just stay in New Haven."
State Police will be joining the NHPD task force effective Wednesday with at least three troopers.
"So the personnel that we have assigned are familiar with the city and are familiar with the New Haven Police Department and have worked in the past and you know will continue to," Col. Stavros Mellekas of the Connecticut State Police announced.
"What they focus on are shots fired, where no one was struck," Dominguez said.
That's because these shootings can lead to something potentially more dangerous down the road.
"And they will also be assigned cases, non-fatal shooting cases, depending on if there is a linkage maybe through ballistics for another case and kind of putting it all together," Dominguez added.
On Monday, New Haven began accepting officer candidate applications for the police department, which is nearly 100 officers short of what they are budgeted for.
However, the chief says this rise in violence is inspiring city residents to apply. In fact, four of the five new officers sworn in last week are from New Haven.
"People do want to be able to get involved and to give back to the community," Dominguez said.
During the city's community meeting last Friday, city residents requested more frequent crime updates.
In response, city officials will now host weekly press conference on Fridays at 10:30 a.m. beginning next week, September 24.
Tony Terzi is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at tterzi@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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