Sanford Police Chief Eric Small addresses the City Council Photo WSSR TV
By Kendra Williams
Sanford Police Chief Eric Small spoke at the City Council’s Sept. 1 meeting to address public safety concerns following several serious incidents in late August, including those that involved firearms and high-risk situations.
Small acknowledged those concerns and offered assurances that police are taking the incidents seriously. He said he’s limited in what he can disclose while investigations are ongoing, but stressed that police will alert the public when there is any imminent safety concern in a particular area or a need to shelter in place.
“We let people know immediately,” Small said. “We don’t keep that information to ourselves.”
Small said detectives, prosecutors and other agencies are continuing to work to identify those responsible. “Releasing one piece of information at the wrong time can really jeopardize all the hard work that they’re putting in,” he said. “We’re working, we’re grinding it out. Detectives are knocking on doors, talking to people, developing leads and getting more information.”
While saying he did not want to minimize the violence or suggest residents should not be concerned, Small sought to put the recent events in perspective.
He emphasized that serious violence is not the norm in Sanford and said crime data does not support characterizing Sanford as unsafe, noting that the city’s last homicide occurred nearly 20 years ago, in 2007. “A difficult week definitely doesn’t define us as a dangerous place to live,” Small said.
At the same time, Small acknowledged that Sanford faces ongoing public safety challenges, including domestic violence, assaults, sexual assaults, drugs, human trafficking and quality-of-life complaints such as trespassing and disturbances. “Those incidents don’t necessarily drive violent crime statistics. But they do require police resources and absolutely affect how people feel about our community,” he said. He made the distinction between quality-of-life issues the police are regularly responding to and the types of serious violence experienced over the past several weeks. “They are both public safety concerns, but they are not the same thing.”
Small also emphasized the importance of the Police Department’s relationship with the community, urging residents not to assume officers already know about something they have seen or heard. Tips, photographs, and home surveillance videos can all help police investigate and solve crimes.
“If you know something, say something,” Small said. “Don’t assume we already know.”
Small concluded by saying he understands why residents are concerned but he has “tremendous confidence in officers of the Sanford Police Department and all the people that are helping us.” He told councilors the investigations are progressing and police will continue working to identify and hold those responsible accountable. The Department will also continue providing updates to the public as information becomes available.
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