VIDEO: Columbus Police Chief Has A List Of Goals For His Department In The New Year

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)-Where they’ve been and where they’re going.

On Wednesday, Columbus Police Chief Oscar Lewis took a look at how his department has fared in the past year.

During a news conference, the chief also listed the goals he has set for the department this year.

Now that the new year has officially rolled in officers at the department are making it their resolution to decrease the crime rate.

“We’ve been working hard just to get out into the community to help repair the public’s trust with what’s been going on,”said Chief Oscar Lewis

Since late October, there’s been at least 11 armed robberies that WCBI has reported on and one attempted armed robbery.

There’s also four homicides from last year that remain unsolved.

Now, investigators are seeking help.

A reward program was implemented offering cash rewards for information that leads to the arrest and conviction in certain major crimes.

If someone calls in anonymously with information in  murder and manslaughter case, they’ll be rewarded $15,000, and $5,000 for information in armed robbery cases.

However, residents have mixed reactions on if they think the program will help cut down on the crime.

“Well certainly,” said Aveline Love, Columbus resident. “It doesn’t have to be money wise just think about what you’re trying to convey here.”

“Not really, not in today’s society,” said Walter Bouldes, Lowndes County resident. “A lot of people aren’t talking, they’re just minding their own business so I don’t think that the reward program will help cut down on the crime in the city of Columbus.”

“It probably will to a certain extent but I also think it’ll get a lot of false information because people be looking at how much the money is, and you know how are about money,” said Columbus resident Princena Swanigan.

But despite the high prized reward, Chief Lewis said so far, the program has gotten off to a slow start and the calls haven’t been coming in.

“It’s slow going right now,” the chief said. “I guess there’s some issues people themselves will have to come to grips with.”

Another goal that Chief Lewis mentioned during Wednesday’s press conference was recruiting more police officers to the department.

Lewis said they’ll be going out training academy’s looking to recruit officers.

Recently, Lewis said he’s made recommendations to the city council about hiring two former police officers that used to work for the department.

CPD officers also received a five percent pay raise back in October, and Lewis believes this will also be a vital role in helping the department bring in new officers..

The chief also mentioned he’d like to have a full staff or close to a full staff by the end of the year.