Americus Police Chief Mark Scott gave a presentation during the second session of Gov 101, on September 30th. He noted that while many think crime has increased in Americus, it has actually decreased overall. “We’re at 35 year low as far as actual crimes being committed in the City.” He stated it was twice as high in 2001. “Our crime numbers are actually very low compared to what they have been historically.”

He stated that some crimes had gone up. “Gun crimes in our community, that has definitely increased over the past five years. Gun shots going off in the middle of the night. We didn’t have that five years ago, that’s something new. But as far as actual assaults, murders, people actually being shot, those are down. So we have groups of people who are riding around firing off guns. They’ll shoot up somebody’s car, they’ll shoot up somebody’s house. They’ll just pull up in the middle of the neighborhood, and fire fifty rounds into the air, get back into the car and take off. But there’re not actually shooting people any more than [they] have in the past.”

Scott noted it was widespread. “It’s not just here in Americus, it is something that is all the way across the Country. Every city in the United States over the past five years has seen an increase in gun crime.”

Scott stated that there had been recent changes in gun laws. “Our legislators have changed the gun laws in the past few years to the point where you don’t have to have a carry license anymore. What the law says, if you’re not a felon, and you could get a license if you wanted one, then you don’t need one.”

Scott stated Georgia permitted concealed carry without a license. “You can carry concealed weapons legally, in Georgia, with no license, no training, nothing.” He stated the only requirements were being 18 years old or older and not be a convicted felon. He stated that an arrest for a felony was insufficient to bar carrying. “Until they get convicted, they can.”

Scott talked about the result. “There is a proliferation of guns.”

He questioned the audience. “How do we change a culture that is in love with guns and doesn’t see anything wrong with shooting up somebody’s house because they disrespected me on Facebook?”

Scott gave youth education as a positive counter. “We are actually working together on a lot of different initiatives in the school system. So we’ve had several different summits where we brought all students together to have conversations.”

He talked about a program called LEAD, or Law Enforcement Against Drugs. He stated it also addressed gang violence. “We’re doing a peace initiative working through OneSumter, the Sumter County School System, Furlow Charter School and Southland, so we’ve got student representatives from each of those schools that are working with leaders in the community to talk about this issue, to come up with ways that they think we can begin to address the issue.” He stated they were always looking for community volunteers.

Scott gave information about the agency. “We are a nationally accredited and State certified law enforcement agency. That’s a big deal. There’s only a handful of agencies in the State of Georgia that are nationally accredited.”

He also mentioned that the Americus Police Department was fifteen officers short, and that shortages are nationwide.