Major crime is an issue for any community and Vicksburg is no different. But according to recent statistics, the Red Carpet City  may be doing better than most cities its size.

City officials hosted a public forum with the Crime Task Force this week to discuss the new cameras and surveillance law enforcement is utilizing to combat crime and also released figures about major crime and apparently major crime has dipped over the years.

According to a chart provided by the city, reported incidents of major crime in the city as of June 15 of this year totaled 673, as opposed to 2,744 in all of 2009.

In 2017, 1,628 major crime incidents were reported in the city. The only statistic that was higher than 2009 was murder.

As of June 15, the city has had five murders compared with 2 in 2009. The highest number of murders was eight in 2015.

The number of murders that have taken place so far this year, which is well on its way to breaking that 2015 mark, is a disturbing statistic. Two of those homicides remain unsolved.

The number of violent crimes with the use of guns cannot be ignored. A look at the crime reports on a daily basis indicates reports of shots being fired are near constant.

There are way too many reports of home and car break-ins where weapons are stolen, making guns more readily accessible to criminals.

The public should hold some responsibility for this by properly securing their weapons.

The statistics show arrests are being made by the Vicksburg Police Department, and officers should be commended. They put their lives on the line for us every day and we applaud them.

But the stats indicate murders are on the rise over the last decade and we must find a way to curb this trend before it gets out of control.

This isn’t just a Vicksburg problem; it’s an issue all over our nation. It’s going to take more than stronger law enforcement to fix it.