PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The Portsmouth Police Dept. is stepping up its efforts to connect with the community after a deadly two weeks. During that time, 13News Now has reported half a dozen homicides in the city.
After a homicide in the city, officers with PPD out on R.E.S.E.T. walks. It stands for Rapid Engagement of Supports in the Event of Trauma.
Thursday afternoon, police officers and firefighters visited four of the neighborhoods recently rocked by the deadly shootings: Washington Street, Watts Avenue, Sykes Avenue and Allard Road.
"We ask them if there’s anything they need and we make sure that they know we’re there for them," said PPD spokesperson Victoria Varnedoe.
The goal is to offer resources and try to find potential witnesses. Varnedoe also said it's a time to engage with the community.
One man who wanted to remain anonymous told 13News Now that he thinks these walks are helpful because people don’t always know who to call.
Portia Ragsdale disagrees.
"You guys are here the day after it happened, but where are you guys, where’s your presence at before it happens?" she said.
Ragsdale owns a car shop on Watts Avenue. She said she doesn’t want her 2-year-old daughter to grow up in such a violent world.
"There’s been plenty of nights we’ve been across the street at my car shop and people have been shooting and we’ve had to run in our building and it had nothing to do with us. But we all know bullets don’t have a name on it," she said.
Portsmouth has investigated 40 homicides so far this year compared to 35 last year. Norfolk has had 63 this year compared to 61 in 2021. Hampton has investigated 22 this year and 27 last year.
Suffolk police have investigated 13 this year compared to seven last year. Newport News sits at 31 compared to 30 last year.
Chesapeake police investigated 25 homicides in 2021 and 2022.
13News Now has not yet received that data from Virginia Beach.
Ragsdale said she wants to see more proactive action from police.
"I’m out here every day, every single day. I don’t see it getting any better," she said.