Chief Holbrook on Curbing Crime

(WOLO) COLUMBIA,S.C., — Iit’s our opportunity to have a conversation with the community and hear what their concerns are.” Dozens of residents packed into Heathwood Park to do just that. While authorities say gangs appear to have a presence in the area – they’re not the biggest statistic on paper. In fact, over the last 45 days there have been 2 burglaries in the region and this year alone more than 475 car break in’s. While those numbers are high….they’re actually down from this time last year. so are arrests for driving under the influence arrests that have gone up by 50 percent. Chief Holbrook says one crime that’s not being blocked quite as successfully…guns and the numbers might blow you away. “Gun crime is troubling and that’s a challenge we have. we see way too many gun seizures and too many reports of gun fires and this is an issue that needs to be addressed. More than 3 hundred guns seized off columbia streets this year alone. although authorities are making progress , Chief Holbrook says better is just not good enough. ” Statistically our violent crime is down but that doesn’t matter to the neighborhood where a homicide just occurred.” A new pilot program may help. these body cameras currently worn by about 10 columbia officers – helping catch the bad guys in the act so they can get them off the street Officer Cooper says this small black camera attached to their uniform also allows them to diffuse some situations just by allowing criminals to know they’re being recorded. And while we’re use to seeing these images on surveillances cameras throughout the city – these body cam’s – complete with audio and a birds eye view of the action means law enforcement eyes are not only in the sky – but on ground level too.