PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. — Prince George's County's homicides are spiking — and leaders are hoping to reverse the trend with the new summer crime initiative.
The county has seen 63 homicides as of June 21, compared to 35 at the same time in 2020, according to Prince Geroge's County Police Department data. That's almost double that amount.
From a pregnant woman being killed to children killing each other, it's been a rough six months for the county.
“We want you to feel safe in every corner of our community and to actually be safe," Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks said during Monday's town hall with the new police chief Malik Aziz.
Both county officials launched the new summer crime initiative Monday called "Operation Heatwave", which will last until September 7.
Chief Aziz listed the following priorities in the plan:
- Reduce of violent crime
- Enhance community engagement
- Focus on crime prevention
- Engage with youth and seniors
“We’ll ask what they [young people] want, and then we’ll try to partner with others who can give it, because we realize they can sometimes do it better than the police department," Chief Aziz said. "But, we’re going to be a partner in all the things that are good in moving youth forward.”
County Executive Alsobrooks said they're focusing on Suitland, Seat Pleasant, Temple Hills, Langley Park, Lewisdale, and Riverdale.
From there, Chief Aziz said they'll use daily crime stats to decide which areas police should target.
“The best eyes and ears we have are the community, so the plan revolves around the community," he said.
Even in 2020, Chief Aziz said they saw more than 13,000 crimes, so they're attacking the current uptick head on.
“Reversing a rise in crime requires more than a police presence," the county executive said. "We know that it requires that we provide the basic necessities that our residents need, especially at a time like this, after COVID-19.”
The county executive said they'll continue the community walks with police in different neighborhoods to build rapport with neighbors. The chief said each division will also have weekly operational meetings to review what's working and what isn't.
Chief Aziz is also asking the community to hold them accountable and let police know when they're not holding up their end of the bargain.