Durham’s New Chief Tackles Rising Violence | Durham News

0:00Durham's got a new top cop, Stephanie Martis, who officially started her duties this Tuesday. She's coming over from Greensboro, where she was assistant chief, bringing over two decades of experience to the table. Her main mission, working hand in hand with the community to bring down the city's violence levels. This move comes at a critical time for Durham. The city's homicide rate is currently sitting at about double the average for both the state and the nation. While violent crime saw a slight uptick of 4.6% in the first three months of this year compared to last, property crime actually dropped by 6.1%. Martis, who has 24 years in law enforcement, made it clear in an interview that accountability is key. She stressed that it's a two-way street involving not just the police department, but the community as well. She's looking to foster a sense of shared responsibility. She's stepping into the role after the previous chief, Patrice Andrews, retired in May.

1:00Andrews had served the Durham Police Department for a quarter century. Martis has already indicated she'll be doing a deep dive into the current crime statistics and strategies. The focus now is on implementing new approaches to tackle the rise in violent crime. Martis's emphasis on community partnership and accountability signals a shift in how the department plans to address these pressing issues moving forward. That's the story for today. Durham News Today, Driven by AI