The City of Kinston is combating gang activity by increasing police presence in the community with the implementation of a new gang unit. Jared Brumbaugh has more.
On Monday night, City Council members voted to fund the unit, consisting of four members who will work in areas where gang activity is prevalent. The decision comes after a successful program during the summer. Kinston’s Public Safety Director Bill Johnson says during the six week period, officers arrested 129 individuals, served 92 warrants and removed 17 guns off the streets.
“It had given us many of the things we wanted and the community desires as well, for instance they had put in 150 hours of foot patrol. That is one of the things that the community has said they wanted more of.”
While no officers for the gang unit have been hired yet, Johnson says they are aggressively searching for qualified persons.
“We are going to immediately move resources back to gang unit and put it in operation, so the unit needs to start to go to work.”
Johnson says they are hoping to hire local police officers who are familiar with the area and the people in the community. I’m Jared Brumbaugh.
