Video: How To Combat Summer Crime Rates

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GOLDEN TRIANGLE, Miss. (WCBI) – School is out for the summer and many kids are looking for something to occupy their time.
Tuesday turned violent in Columbus. First a drive by shooting that morning and then a pizza delivery man was robbed the same night.

This follows two robberies in Houston and a shooting that left a car riddled with bullets in Clay County.

These crimes, along with others, fits a trend law enforcement see after the last day of school.

“We do see a higher crime rate during the summer time because there is more people out, they have some freedom,” said Columbus Police Chief Tony Carleton.

When there’s a spike in crime, police respond with a heavier presence on the streets.

“We’ll have the special operations unit out, they’re certainly more involved and able to spend more time. Patrol officers are usually answering calls or being involved with something quick. So, the team is able to spend more time and get to know who is in what areas,” added Chief Carleton.

Macon Police Chief Lucious Mason says the transition into summer is obvious, even in small towns.

“Curfew violations, we see a lot of that. We see a rise in shop lifting with out juveniles. But all in all, it’s a big shift,” said Chief Mason.

Now, community programs are stepping in to give keep kids out of trouble this summer.

Noxubee County’s Parks and Rec has about 300 kids playing summer baseball, with teenagers serving as mentors.

“We can get some of these men to come out to help with these kids, it also helps the kids in the classroom and you’ll see the graduation rates go up and you’ll see more kids go to college and that diffuses the gang activity that sooner or later will come down here,” said Director of Parks and Rec Gary Naylor.

The programs run through April until August.

“Baseball will be over in July and we’ll start football practice in July. In August, they’re back in school, we we’ve kept them out of grown folks faces. We keep them out of anything bad they want to get in. We have them so tired, when they get home, they cant do anything but sleep,” added Naylor.

Police also encourage kids to get involved with their local church’s Vacation Bible School.

For more information on Noxubee County’s Park and Rec department, call Macon City Hall at 662-726-5847.