Thank you all for joining me today. Since March 1st, Davenport has had 50 confirmed shots fired incidents. While running for Mayor, I spent a lot of time talking with the residents of Davenport and one of the consistent messages I heard was the concern over gun crime in our community. I hear your frustration, and I share it as well. If we want to make our community a safe, stable and welcoming place for all citizens, we must take this issue seriously. And we are. FORMAL RELEASE | VIDEO RELEASE
The City of Davenport and the Davenport Police Department are committed to the safety of our community and are committed to providing resources to assist in the effort to curb gun crime in Davenport. The Davenport Police Department is comprised of some of the finest public servants I have met and our officers and investigators work tirelessly to bring perpetrators of gun crimes, and all crimes, to justice.
Our Police Department works closely with the Scott County Attorney and the US Attorney’s Office for the coordinated prosecution of gun offenders. Since March 1st, the Davenport Police Department has seized 60 firearms and made 22 arrests associated with firearm related investigations. They are reallocating resources necessary to tackle this issue and more rapidly respond to the increase of gun violence in our community. In addition, in June 2019, the City of Davenport purchased a NIBIN system to trace shell casings and provide investigators with leads in gun crimes. To date, the NIBIN system has processed 589 shell casings, and has generated
255 leads for investigators to follow up on.
In addition, the Davenport Police Department partners with the United States Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice on several initiatives aimed at prosecuting gun crime in Davenport.
However, no matter how many resources are available to our Police Department, they cannot solve this problem alone. It will take the effort of our entire community to combat gun crime in Davenport.
We need your help, plain and simple. There are simple actions we can all take to help curb gun violence.
If you legally own a firearm, please be responsible and diligent about securing your weapon. Many of the weapons used in these crimes are stolen from unlocked vehicles and homes. As a firearm owner, please safely store and protect your firearms when not in use.
If you suspect a crime is actively taking place, please call 911. Our officers are on the street and stand ready respond 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
If you see something, say something. I encourage our residents to report all suspicious activity. By providing timely information to our police department, you are equipping our officers with critical information that can be used to assist in response and investigations. Reporting suspicious activity is simple, you can go to www.qccrimestoppers.com to submit anonymous information. If your anonymous tip leads to an arrest in a gun crime investigation, you may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $2,500. Again, if you see a crime in progress please call 911. This is the most effective way of responding to gun crime.
I want to again thank the men and women of the Davenport Police Department for their bravery and diligence in pursuing these leads and holding those who commit gun crimes accountable. Together, we will continue working to make Davenport a safe, stable and welcoming community for all.