APD chief calms concerns regarding violent crime

ALEXANDRIA, La. (KALB) - On Nov. 19, the Alexandria Police Department released a video of Chief Ronney Howard trying to calm some public concerns about the uptick in violent crimes in the city.

The video was released on the heels of the murder of Serena Williams on Nov. 16. The 19-year-old Alexandria woman was shot multiple times at the sanctuary apartments in Alexandria.

The family of Serena said in an interview that they had concerns with the time it took for APD and the city to release that murder suspect Germon Jefferson was on the run. Jefferson was found in Dallas on Nov. 18, two days after the shooting, and is waiting to be extradited back to Alexandria. In the video, Chief Howard mentions the record number of homicides in Alexandria this year.

“Our city along with other cities in Louisiana and the nation are facing too many homicides in 2021. Now with 30 this year,” said Chief Howard. The 30 homicides so far this year are six more than the 24 that Alexandria experienced in all of 2020.

In the video, Chief Howard also mentions the record number of arrests that APD has made in homicide cases. APD has made arrests in 26 of the 30 homicides this year and that most cases of violent crime in Alexandria are not random.

“Violent crimes in Alexandria are not random, with exception of two events, homicides in Alexandria are not random occurrences,” said Chief Howard. “Realistically, if you and your family are not involved in an abusive relationship or buying or selling drugs you are more at risk of getting in a car accident than experiencing violent crime in Alexandria.”

The Chief urged the public to help try and prevent crimes from occurring, by reporting suspicious behavior.

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