Columbus Reaches One Year Without a Homicide
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – In Columbus, the streets sound the same. Sirens still echo. Blue lights still flash. But what’s missing is the call no family wants to receive.
For the first time in years, no one in the city has been murdered.
“A whole calendar year without a homicide is a blessing,” said Chief Joseph Daughtry. “The community has started backing us, reporting crimes, reporting things before they happen.”
Chief Daughtry says the change didn’t happen overnight. He credits neighbors speaking up, the district attorney’s office working hand-in-hand with detectives, and a department rebuilding its ranks.
At one point, the Columbus Police Department was down to just 27 officers. Now, nearly 50 are on patrol — providing a stronger, more visible presence in every corner of the city.
“Our goal is to be proactive, not reactive,” Daughtry said. “To go a year without a homicide is major — and it’s not just CPD, it’s the people of this city.”
Events like National Night Out have also helped change how residents view police officers. Families can meet officers outside of flashing lights and arrest reports.
“We want people to walk up to us and have a conversation,” Daughtry said. “Our officers are human too. They hurt like everyone else. They have families like everyone else.”
The milestone has also meant focusing inward. A chaplain program and peer-support network now help officers carry the weight of their work. More officers are trained in crisis intervention — ready to connect people struggling with mental illness to resources, not just handcuffs.
“It’s hard to go knock on a mother’s door and tell her that her child has been killed,” Daughtry said. “For us not to have to do that this year… that’s everything.”
You see, our police department definitely thank them for the job that they’re doing, said Mayor Stephen Jones. And also, our citizens, you know, it just goes to show that, you know, things are looking up in Columbus. Things are turning around. Columbus is not a bad place, you know, to live. And we have a lot of good stuff going on.
For the chief, the milestone is about more than numbers. It’s about families spared from grief, a city reclaiming hope, and the belief that what happened this year in Columbus can happen again.
“I’m proud of the men and women of the Columbus Police Department,” Daughtry said. “We don’t always get it right, but we keep striving for excellence.”
Daughtry said the department will release new crime data soon, showing drops in property and violent crimes across the board. He calls the milestone proof that change is possible when police and community work together.
