From Staff Reports

Asheville recorded a 10-year high in violent crime in 2020 and, as of June 25, is on track this year to match last year’s numbers, which resulted in a city dubbed “the Paris of the South” to be listed among the top 10 percent most violent cities in the United States last year.

“Year to date, we’re staying on par with 2020 with violent crime,” Christina Hallingse, public information officer for the Asheville Police Department, told the Daily Planet on midafternoon June 25.

She defined “violent crimes” as “homicide, rape, aggravated assault and robbery.”

Regarding homicides, Hallingse said, “We had lost seven (lives) at this point last year, and there have been five homicides to date” this year. “Aggravated assaults are close,” in a year-to-year matchup, to date.

On a more positive note, she added during a brief telephone interview with the newspaper that “we’re seeing a small decrease in property crimes,” which, Hallingse noted, also is a trend for many U.S. cities.

In early May, APD Chief David Zack stated that his unit is coping with a severe staffing crisis, as officers — many reportedly irked bythe city’s “defund the police” atmosphere (led on City Council by Kim Roney) — have left the force in unusually massive numbers, with few new recruits joining to replace them, resulting in ever-slower response times to crime calls.

Beginning May 3, the APD said it was closing its lobby to the public. On June 2, the APD announced that it no longer would be responding to 10 types of crimes. 

So what is the exact situation on staffing at the APD, as of June 25?

From January 2020 to June 25, 2021, the APD lost 84 sworn officers, including 81 resignations, two retirements and one termination, Hallingse told the Daily Planet.