The Statesville Police Department’s emphasis on getting illegal guns off the streets and out of the hands of potential criminals is paying off. During the first six months of 2023, SPD officers have seized 116 firearms—that’s up from 81 guns seized during the same period last year. Police Chief David Onley said that his priority is gun-related crime, and that the department will focus their efforts there.
There were a total of 105 violent crimes from January 1 through June 30 of this year, including 90 aggravated assaults, one murder, five rapes and nine robberies. Meanwhile, property crimes declined by 22.69 percent in the first half of 2023 from the same period a year earlier. The number of burglaries (90), motor vehicle thefts (42), larcenies (242), theft from motor vehicles (68) and theft of motor vehicle parts (18) all declined, Onley said. The chief said the creation of a new South Side Unit was helping make the community safer. In addition to patrol officers, three officers are now assigned to work in South Statesville around the clock.