Morelle and Singletary looking to solve problem of city violence

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The rise in the number of violent gun crimes here in Rochester has people looking for solutions. Something that will get dangerous criminals off the streets.

News10NBC talked to Congressman Joe Morelle (D-NYS), and his challenger former Rochester Police Chief La’Ron Singletary (R), on how they hope to come up with the right solution. Both men want the same thing when it comes to reducing crime on our streets, but are looking at different sources to help solve the problem.

Rochester has reached 64 homicides this year after a man was shot, and killed on Chili Avenue over the weekend. Police officers have been working 12 hour shifts due to staffing shortages. Police have been getting help from the US Marshal’s Task Force, plus from their county, and state partners.

We asked both Morelle, and Singletary, if there’s anything they can do to provide federal funding solutions from the economic side to help increase our police force.

“Yeah, we’re working every day on this. I met with Chief Smith last week. I’ve met with the mayor to tell them, you know, my job is to argue for more funding for Rochester Police Department and other law enforcement agencies, and obviously, this is a time of real concern for all of us in this community and certainly not only those of us in places of public position,” said Morelle.

Singletary added, “One of the things that we can do is work with the Department of Justice, and they have a number of grants that can help not only hire more police, but retain police officers. We need to support our police. The first thing we must do is support our police.”

Both Morelle, and Singletary are having their first debate Monday night. Our Raven Brown will be there, and will have her report on News10NBC starting at 11.