Asheville police announce joint weekend night downtown patrols with sheriff's office
ASHEVILLE - Asheville Police Department officers and Buncombe County Sheriff's deputies will now jointly patrol downtown Asheville on Friday and Saturday nights, APD announced Feb. 9 in a news release.
This comes less than a month after the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners approved funding in its Jan. 16 meeting for weekend patrols by sheriff's deputies, spurred by a letter from 40 Asheville business owners to city and county officials in September requesting increased public safety presence.
The letter did not blame danger in Asheville on any particular group but did frequently reference people experiencing homelessness, using the term "vagrants," the Citizen Times previously reported.
With this announcement, APD officers will join deputies in what Sheriff Quentin Miller has coined the sheriff office's “Downtown Initiative.” This is different from Asheville's Downtown Safety Initiative, a 60-day effort that began April 20, 2023, resulting in a visible downtown police presence.
Previous reporting: Buncombe Sheriff proposes downtown patrols after restaurateurs and hoteliers ask for help
Sheriff secures downtown patrol funding: Buncombe approves sheriff's Downtown Asheville patrols partially targeting homeless
"This coordinated effort aims to increase law enforcement presence downtown and ensure the safety of residents, visitors, and businesses," the release said.
Starting Feb. 9, the joint patrols will run on Friday and Saturday nights from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. — a four-hour extension on the 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. originally announced for sheriff's deputies.
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This increased law enforcement presence comes after the city saw a record drop in crime last year, with citywide violent crime down 18% in 2023 and citywide property crime down 13% compared to the prior year, the Citizen Times previously reported.
The city's historic crime reduction came in 2023 after a six-year high in violent crime in 2022 and a 2019 property crime peak, recent Asheville Police Department data shows.
"The launch of joint patrol efforts between the Asheville Police Department and Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office represents a significant step forward in our collective mission to bolster downtown safety," Interim Chief Mike Lamb said in the news release. "By working together, we can more effectively address public safety concerns and maintain a secure environment for all."
Ryley Ober is the Public Safety Reporter for Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @ryleyober
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Asheville police now patrolling with sheriff's office downtown