Mayor, DA may not attend GOP congressman's crime summit; police chief, sheriff: no comment

ASHEVILLE - Congressman Chuck Edwards has announced he will convene an "anti-crime summit" to discuss crime and violence in the city and region following what he said were concerns voiced to him by many constituents, a June 8 release from his office said.

Edwards, a Henderson County Republican whose 11th District covers most of Western North Carolina, billed the event as an opportunity for local, state and federal officials and others to come together to discuss "the root causes of the crime spike in Asheville and Buncombe County, and how to best reduce and deter future criminal activity in our area."

Discussions about crime, addiction and homelessness have played a large role in local politics. But it is not clear if some invited top local government and law enforcement officials, most of them Democrats, will take part, or what their attitudes are toward Edwards' striking description of Asheville and surrounding areas as struggling under "surging crime" that is threatening the region's social fabric and could turn the area into a "crime-ridden Chicago or San Francisco."

More:Asheville police: Violent crime up across city, property crime down in 2022

"Everywhere I go in this district, I am approached by constituents imploring our leaders to do something about the lawlessness, vagrancy and public safety issues that seem to be centered on Asheville," Edwards said in the release. "The surging crime, homelessness and drugs are a threat to our people and our way of life here in the mountains, and are spilling over from Asheville to the surrounding areas of WNC."

Edwards in the release did not talk about the nature of the crime spike or attempt to quantify it. Responding to a question from the Citizen Times about such details, his spokesperson pointed to anecdotal evidence given "regularly" to the congressman by law enforcement officers and constituents.

Spokesperson Maria Kim also noted "widely reported stats from the Asheville Police Department that show aggravated assaults increased nearly 22% and armed robberies increased by 20% from 2021 to 2022."

APD spokesperson Samantha Booth and Chief David Zack did not respond to requests for long-term violent and nonviolent crime statistics.

The June 16 summit at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College is open to the public. It will be from 12:30-2:30 p.m. in the Ferguson Auditorium

The 14 invitees range from former FBI Assistant Director Chris Swecker to outspoken neighborhood activist Helen Hyatt, who has appeared on the conservative Fox News, calling the city "lawless" and Buncombe County's criminal justice system "lax."

Mayor Esther Manheimer, who was invited, declined to say whether she would attend, as did DA Todd Williams, who said someone from his office "will be represented at the convening." Zack, with APD, did not return messages, and a spokesperson for Sheriff Quentin Miller said he was unable to respond.

Asked about Edwards' characterization of crime in the city, the mayor said "community safety is a priority" and that "all residents of Asheville must feel and be safe in their homes, neighborhoods and wherever they travel throughout the city."

Manheimer said there were "complex circumstances contributing" to current concerns about safety and that in the proposed July 1 fiscal year budget the city would "doubling down" on support for first responders, including APD with pay and benefit increases to attract and retain officers in the department that has struggled for years with staffing.

"In addition, the Downtown Safety Initiative, launched on May 1, 2023, includes an increased public safety presence downtown, both by APD as well as the fire department through their pilot Community Responder Program. The city also focused on cleaning up the downtown and the city at large through the removal of litter, needles and biological waste and general downtown cleanliness; as well as increased maintenance activities in downtown parks," she said.

Violent crime has risen 17.4% citywide from 2021 to 2022, according to a March 28 presentation by Zack. The chief did not include downtown specific numbers, but an APD spokesperson told the Citizen Times downtown since 2018 has seen a yearly average of 61 violent crimes (which encompasses homicide, rape, aggravated assault and robbery). Twice in the past five years, violent crime has exceeded this average by more than 10 crimes (2019 and 2021), spokesperson Samantha Booth said April 20.

"Downtown continues to experience one of the highest concentrations of violent crime in the city," Booth said. "10% of the city’s violent crime occurs within an area that covers less than 0.5 square miles."

More:Mother of Asheville man in violent arrest criticizes APD actions; asked for medical help

Property crime, meanwhile, decreased citywide 4.9% from 2021 to 2022. Despite that, Booth said downtown has seen an increase in property crimes of 27% over the past three years. Since 2018 downtown has had an annual average of 361 property crimes (which encompasses arson, burglary, larceny-theft and motor vehicle theft), she said.

Though Edwards discussed homelessness and drugs in announcing the summit, none of the invited officials specialized in housing, addiction or related fields.

Those areas would likely be explored in following gatherings, said Kim, the congressman's spokesperson.

"This summit is largely focused on law enforcement and elected officials," she said. "There will undoubtedly be future discussions that involve a broader array of community leaders, specialists and nonprofits."

The release included a list of invitees:

• Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer
• Buncombe County Sheriff Quentin Miller
• District Attorney Todd Williams – Buncombe County
• Asheville Police Chief David Zack
• North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Director Bob Schurmeier
• Dena King, U.S. attorney for the Western District of North Carolina
• District Attorney Andrew Murray – Henderson, Transylvania and Polk Counties
• Clay County Sheriff Mark Buchanan
• Bill Hollingsed, executive director of N.C. Association of Chiefs of Police
• Chris Swecker, former assistant director for the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division
• Zach Wallace, Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce
• Helen Hyatt, Asheville Coalition for Public Safety
• N.C. Rep. Caleb Rudow – Buncombe
• N.C. Sen. Warren Daniel – Buncombe, McDowell and Burke Counties

Joel Burgess has lived in WNC for more than 20 years, covering politics, government and other news. He's written award-winning stories on topics ranging from gerrymandering to police use of force. Got a tip? Contact Burgess at jburgess@citizentimes.com, 828-713-1095 or on Twitter @AVLreporter. Please help support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.