News Roundup

Published for NC Criminal Law on January 24, 2020.

On Tuesday, officials in Winston-Salem held a press conference announcing coordinated efforts to deter gun violence in the city.  As the Winston-Salem Journal reports, there were more homicides in Winston in 2019 than in any other year in the past quarter century.  Chief of Police Catrina Thompson, Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough, District Attorney Jim O’Neal, U.S. Attorney Matt Martin, Mayor Allen Joines, and Councilman James Taylor all spoke at the press conference, with Thompson saying that they would “use every one of the resources [they] have” to pursue individuals involved in violent crime.  Keep reading for more information about the efforts in Winston and other criminal law news. Winston.  The Winston-Salem Journal article says that the city seized 900 guns in 2019 and is on pace to exceed that number in 2020.  Police Chief Thompson said that one issue that the city faces is lawfully owned guns being stolen and then used in criminal activity.  She also said that the department’s Violent Crimes Investigation Team will begin working in conjunction with the gang unit in 2020 in an effort to reduce the violence currently plaguing the city.  Last year, the sheriff’s department and police department began working together on high visibility “saturation” patrols in some areas and those efforts will continue in 2020.  In addition, a U.S. Department of Justice grant will enable the city to deploy gunshot detection technology covering 3 square miles of the city. Crumpler Passes.  In other news from the City of the Arts, the Winston-Salem Journal reported [...]