Rocky Mount police report: short‑term uptick in quarterly figures but year‑to‑date crime trending down; chief to retire

Rocky Mount Police Chief presented quarterly crime statistics and department updates July 14, and council members paused to thank the chief ahead of his upcoming retirement celebration.

Chief Hassle reported a 36% increase when comparing quarter‑to‑quarter figures — driven by 80 additional aggravated assault victims and about 75 more property‑crime victims in the later quarter — but said year‑to‑date numbers remain lower than the same period last year. “We’re still year to date. We’re trending downward 10% on crime,” the chief said, adding that violent crime was down about 8% year to date and property crime down 11% year to date compared with the prior year.

The chief discussed data and technology the department uses, and he framed better staffing as a key factor in reductions over a longer timeframe. He said the department has reduced vacancies — from 42 vacancies in 2020 to 6 in 2024 and to zero vacancies as of the meeting date — and that, combined with targeted technology, contributes to long‑term reductions. The chief reported a 33% decrease in violent crime between 2020 and 2024 overall.

Technology and operations: the chief cited a suite of detection and analytical tools used by the department to guide patrols and investigations, including a shot‑detection system, automated patrol‑routing analytics that refresh more frequently than prior manual methods, and an integrated camera and license‑plate reader network accessible through a centralized real‑time operations center. He said the department also uses state and federal reporting systems (NIBRS) and participates in UNC benchmarking to compare performance with peer cities.

Other operational points mentioned: calls for service in the quarter were lower than the previous quarter, traffic enforcement and traffic stops were down, and overall arrests and warrants reflect a mix of violations and re‑arrests where individuals do not appear for court. The chief also noted firearm seizures (133 weapons seized in the period cited) and explained that not every seized firearm corresponds to a weapons arrest; some are taken for safekeeping or seized in domestic situations.

Council questions focused on overdose calls, gang list changes, transient populations in vacant properties and how crisis mental‑health responses are coordinated. The chief described collaborative responses with Integrated Health’s crisis team for behavioral health incidents and explained processes for no‑trespass agreements with property owners to reduce repeat occupancy of abandoned buildings.

Ending: council members expressed appreciation for the chief’s work and for the department’s data‑driven approach; the chief noted his upcoming retirement celebration and the council thanked him for his service.