THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 14, 1996 TAG: 9601120154
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Short : 40 lines
A plan to move swiftly and deal harshly with suspected murderers and other criminals should at a minimum slow Portsmouth's worsening crime rates and it has the potential for reducing the statistics that place us among the nation's most dangerous cities.
The problems are evident. The city has a poor record on resolution of violent crimes and on its handling of those in which arrests are made.
City Council heard about the new initiatives from Commonwealth's Attorney Martin Bullock and Police Chief Dennis Mook on Tuesday.
Starting with a new homicide detective squad, the police department already has increased the percentage of solved murders from about 50 percent to about 75 percent during the final months of 1995.
Bullock said his office and the police would work together to speed up charges, arrests and trials.
In addition to the city's local initiatives, Portsmouth will encourage passage by the General Assembly of a bill which would provide for no bonds or very much higher bonds for those accused of violent acts. This definitely would decrease chances of an already indicted person from committing other crimes.
No one arm of the justice system can be held accountable for Portsmouth's poor record on dealing with crime. Although the onus often is put on the courts, the district attorney and the police department must take equal shares of the blame. The courts are no better than the information brought to them.
The new initiatives appear to be a good beginning. If each arm of the justice system now will work to uphold its part of the deal, we should see better and swifter resolution of many Portsmouth crimes. by CNB