MACON, Ga. — Over the past year, Macon-Bibb County has poured millions into the Macon Violence Prevention program.
The money pays for services like mental health counseling, youth mentorship opportunities and even a high-tech gunshot detection system, called ShotSpotter.
Tuesday, commissioners heard an update on the countywide anti-violence program. Over nearly three hours, 13 different presenters ranging from community groups to the sheriff himself told the commission how their work helps prevent violence.
"This is really the first update of all the agencies and organizations that are involved in doing things," Sheriff David Davis explained.
Those agencies all had a chance to take to the podium, and present their findings. Mayor Lester Miller says he's pretty happy with the results, especially surrounding the businesses they've taken to court for being crime 'hot spots.'
"Seven lawsuits that we filed, each one of those areas, including M&M, a vice mart, the Friends Mart, as well as some of the hotels show a drastic -- I'm talking 98% reduction, in crime in the three weeks preceding the shutdown," Mayor Miller said.
M&M Food Mart shut down September 16 after several violent crimes at the store and in the area. According to the county's statistics, there were 47 shooting incidents in the area near M&M in the three weeks leading up to the closure. Once the shop closed, they only saw 18 in the following three weeks.
"No other events that have happened in that neighborhood that would have any contribution to that at all. Closing this store is the only precipitating factor that the county is aware of," Senior County Attorney Michael McNeill told a large crowd in the commission chambers.
According to a crime report from the Bibb Sheriff's Office, violent crimes are up nearly 50%, with overall crime up 15% on the year. The mayor says while crime is up overall, he's hopeful because of sheriff's office data that shows a large decrease in crime in the past few months.
"We've learned where some of the criminals are, we've learned where we need to be. We've learned more how to use the ShotSpotter program," Sheriff Davis said.
He told commissioners violent crimes are down about 13%, and almost 50% fewer houses shot at. Sheriff Davis mentioned they're working on ways to limit the amount of homicides, which broke another record this year. He thinks domestic violence incidents may be to blame for the high number.
The sheriff's office is partnering with the Crisis Line and Safe House of Central Georgia to give deputies domestic violence training. Sheriff Davis says the goal is to get deputies to recognize the signs, and get them to a domestic violence situation before things turn deadly.