Keeping Prince William County Safe: A Look at the Police Department's Successes and Challenges

Prince William County has seen a drop in crime over the past five years. The police chief, Peter Newsham, shared his thoughts on what's working and what's not. First, the good news. Crime has gone down by 11%. Violent crime has dropped even more, by almost 20%. That's a big deal. The police have also been very good at solving murders. In fact, they've solved every single one this year. But there's a challenge. Fewer people want to become police officers. Why? Because other places, like federal agencies, offer big bonuses to hire them. This makes it harder for the police department to find new officers.Still, Prince William County is doing okay. They have fewer than 12% of their officer positions empty. But with over 500, 000 people living there, they need to make sure they have enough officers to keep everyone safe. The police also listen to the community. Every two years, they do a survey to see how happy people are with their work. The results? 96% of people are satisfied. That's great news. The police chief has a lot of good things to say about his team. He thinks they do a fantastic job, even when things are tough. They go out every day to help people. So, what's next? The police will keep working hard to keep crime low and make sure everyone feels safe. They'll also keep listening to the community to see how they can do even better.