NC tourist town rocked by violence in wake of defund police movement rolls out plan to combat rise in crime
Story by Jon Brown • Monday
City leaders of a North Carolina tourist town that has been plagued with rising violent crime in recent years announced a 60-day initiative last week to improve conditions in its downtown district amid a crisis in police staffing.
Asheville, North Carolina residents demand city handle rising crime and homelessness
The City of Asheville said they are taking "targeted steps" to address the rising number of incidents affecting public safety with the initiative slated to begin May 1, according to a news release from city government.
"There are complex circumstances contributing to the safety issues that Asheville is currently seeing downtown and it will take a community response to address these complexities," the city said. "Multiple City departments are coordinating a City government response and we also need participation from community leaders and partners to address all the factors contributing to the rise in crime."
The announcement comes as violent crime in Asheville, a town of approximately 90,000 people in the Blue Ridge Mountains, has surged in recent years. Aggravated assaults rose by 21.8%, and armed robberies increased by 20% from 2021 to 2022, according to APD statistics.
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