He says the Department follows crime trends.
Frederick, Md. (KM) – While some cities in the United States experienced increased violent crime as they opened up following COVID-19 lockdowns, that didn’t happen in Frederick city. “In Frederick, we’ve seen a 20% decrease from last year in robberies; a 5% in aggravated assault; and we’re also at a low point for our opioid overdoses,” say Police Chief Jason Lando.
Speaking recently on WFMD”s “Morning News Express,” Lando said there hasn’t been an increase in violent crimes following the COVID lockdown. “The most important thing to note is in those violent crime categories, we’re still seeing a downward trend still coming out of COVID,” the Chief says. He also states that so far this year, Frederick has only had one homicide.
Also part of the “Morning News Express” was Mayor Michael O’Connor, who said the Police Department monitors trends in crime in the city of Frederick. “They’re watching where things are moving, and then they’re marshaling resources to address those area,” he said.
Chief Lando says the Department also provides resources to address crime trends heading in an upward direction, including specific offenses occurring in one area of Frederick city. “You see some robberies in a certain area of the city. Our detectives will jump on that. They’ll put together a robbery detail and they will make their mission to find and arrest the robber,” he says. “I’ve been really constantly impressed since I’ve been with how quickly they are able to get results when they do that.”
The Mayor added: “When we see movement in a certain area, and that movement is suggesting that a trend may be going in a direction we don’t want to, then we put resources in place to try and tamp it down,” he says.
On another topic, O’Connor took issue with comments from Sheriff Chuck Jenkins that the Mayor was invited to the “Stop the Violence” rally on August 6th, and chose not to attend. “Whoever told you I wasn’t there, lied to you,” he said. When told that the organizers said he declined to attend, O’Connor responded: “That is not accurate. I was at the event. I don’t know if they told that in advance of the event, but no, I was there,” he said
The “Stop the Violence” rally was organized by a non-profit organization called “I Believe In Me.”
By Kevin McManus
