• CITY COUNCIL: Crime rates in Danville have improved in recent years, but remain higher than state averages. What measures would you implement to further improve public safety and reduce crime rates?

Continue to work closely with our Chief of Police and his staff. Continue to engage in the community with our police force and place more cameras in our areas to provide safety nets for our citizens.

I plan to be a supportive voice for our law enforcement agency. Promoting good and active relations with the police and the public. The more we trust each other and law enforcement serves and protects us, the more we can reduce crime rates, together! We need them and they need us, so let’s keep our city safe together!

One of the main concerns I have is why the Black on Black homicide. All of the murders this year were young black men between the ages of 18 and 26. This is a problem! We need to create a safe zone for community members to feel comfortable talking to law enforcement about crime and criminal activity, and we need to create a trauma prevention program for people exposed to crime. Finally, we must bring peace and unity to the people in the community to prevent violent incidents between them.

I think it’s important to recognize where we are today and how we got here. We saw a drastic improvement in the crime rate from 2015-2018, even reaching 30-year lows in several categories. Much of that turnaround came from adopting a community policing model and a police chief who wholeheartedly believed in it. It’s no secret that I frequently clashed with one of our former police chiefs for advocating strongly for a community policing model as well as sector policing (also known as neighborhood policing) where the city it is divided into sectors and you have the same thing. officers in the same areas day after day, week after week. I have been told repeatedly for many years that those things will not work in Danville. I knew they would. And once Chief Booth was hired, I met with him and knew right away that we had the right person for the job. The results speak for themselves.

Chief Wiles continues and now expands on the success we have seen. I think what Robert David is doing with Project Imagine is also very important. We must try to connect with as many of these vulnerable young people as possible before they turn to crime. Another way to do this is through the youth summer jobs program that Mayor Jones and I worked to implement several years ago. Partnerships with our business community, churches and other civic organizations are an essential part of reducing crime in our city. The police cannot do this alone. Whether it’s mentoring, coaching, volunteering, reaching out to a neighbor, or any number of other things, we can all play a part in making Danville a safer and stronger community.

I will take proactive steps to improve public safety in Danville, including a curfew, increased police presence, holding parents accountable for their children’s actions, and creating community forums to engage with residents before problems escalate.

There are many things that contribute to crime rates, but since the other questions have already addressed housing, taxes, and education, I will focus my answer on healthcare. I would like to see the same effort put into recruiting new business in this area reflected in efforts to recruit more healthcare providers. Neglecting one’s health, whether physical or mental, adds up to a bill that always comes due and can throw your entire life out of control. Turning to medication or any “quick fix” to solve larger problems can often be the only non-medical solution available and easily accessible. PATHS and DPCS have more people asking for help than they can serve. Bringing in more private medical practices could help ease the workload of our current providers and allow our community to be served more quickly.

To improve public safety and reduce crime rates in Danville, it is essential to address the deep connection between poverty and crime. With 38% of the city’s children living in poverty, we must focus on addressing economic hardship as a critical step in creating a safer community. By investing in job training and workforce development, especially for young people and low-income families, we can help break the cycle of poverty. Working with local businesses to provide apprenticeships and upskilling opportunities will create pathways to stable employment. Additionally, expanding after-school programs, sports leagues, and mentoring initiatives for at-risk youth will provide them with positive role models and safe spaces, keeping them away from negative influences.

When people feel connected to local law enforcement, they are more likely to report crimes and work together to keep their neighborhoods safe. Expanding diversion programs for non-violent offenders, particularly those dealing with addiction or mental health issues, will also help reduce recidivism by providing support and rehabilitation rather than relying solely on punitive measures.

Improving affordable housing and increasing neighborhood safety are critical components of this effort. The city should work with developers and nonprofits to create more mixed-income housing developments, ensuring economic growth reaches all communities. Installing better street lighting, expanding neighborhood watch programs, and using community supervision can deter crime and help residents feel safer.

Investing in education is one of the most powerful tools to break the poverty-crime cycle. Expanding access to early childhood education and strengthening public schools will give children a solid foundation for future success, making them less likely to turn to crime. Partnerships between schools and community organizations that focus on mentoring, counseling and career preparation can give at-risk youth the support they need to stay on track.

The city must continue to expand economic opportunities for all its residents. As Danville grows, it is vital to ensure that new job opportunities reach those in underserved communities. By focusing on comprehensive economic development that creates good-paying jobs and revitalizes neighborhoods, we can help reduce poverty and, in turn, reduce crime.

Improving public safety in Danville requires a holistic approach that addresses poverty, provides economic opportunity and strengthens community ties. By focusing on education, affordable housing, job training, and building trust between residents and law enforcement, we can create a safer and more prosperous future for everyone in the city.

As a member of the Danville Police Review Board, Frazier sees body camera footage of what our officers encounter. She will continue to support the Danville Police Department, specifically the Community Engagement Department, promote the mentor programs already in place and ensure that civilians feel safe when reporting a crime. Frazier hopes he can continue to improve relations between police officers and civilians.

Keep doing what we do: constant training and retraining of our law enforcement personnel; ongoing community engagement with parents, children, visitors and others who visit our city. Show respect to all our law enforcement personnel. They do an excellent job!!