Columbus Police hold community policing event at Wilson Apartments, a high-crime area
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — Late Thursday afternoon more than 30 Columbus Police Officers gathered at Wilson Apartments.
Usually when that happens its a response to a crime.
Not this time. And to illustrate it all you had to do was watch Deputy Columbus Police Chief Lance Deaton tossing a football Thursday evening with some boys at Wilson Apartments.
It’s a high crime area and a 5-year-old saw some other officers knocking on a door a few feet away.
The little boy asked, “What Happened?”
The response spoke volumes to Deaton.
“I think it tells us what we already know which is this community has been victimized and it is unfortunate that we have got young kids that young that are already conditioned to think that when they see the police in this community that something bad and something negative has happened,” Deaton said. “And that’s really why we are here.”
Wilson has been the news for all the wrong reasons for a long time. Back to back 2021 murders at the public housing complex off Veterans Parkway near River Road drew the attention of the Georgia Attorney General’s gang prosecution unit.
They secured four murder convictions and six criminal street gang convictions over the last six months.
Thursday night’s community policing event was intentional.
“I think it’s got a dual purpose,” said Police Chief Stoney Mathis. “We are wanting to build a relationship with the community, but we want the gang members to know that the police are out here.”
For Sgt. Garrett Williams, a 16-year veteran of the Columbus Police Department, being able to be inside Wilson Apartments with no blue lights flashing was important.
“I grew up in this city. I love this city,” Williams said. “And these are the people I grew up with. I think it’s an obligation of mine to help save these people from all the unwanted crime in this city.”
This community police event comes as there has been a spike in gun violence over the last two months. There has been a murder in Columbus each of the last seven weekends.
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