After churning through multiple police chiefs over the past six years, Charlottesville residents expressed hope when Michael Kochis, Warrenton’s former chief of police, stepped into the role on Jan. 16. Four weeks in, Kochis says he’s working hard to rebuild the department and gain the trust of the community.

“ I don’t regret it one bit,” he said in an interview on Charlottesville Right Now of taking the job.

Kochis arrived to a challenging situation including a depleted department that’s down 29 officers. He’s holding a hiring “blitz” at Charlottesville High School on Feb. 18 in an effort to fill those positions quickly.

“It’s a great department. It’s a great place to work, and it’s a great community to serve,” Kochis said. “We don’t have as much of a problem getting applications as we do getting folks through the process. So we’re looking at our process right now about different efficiencies we can make, not reducing standards because I’d rather hire no one than the wrong one.”

Gun violence has been rising in Charlottesville, and in addition to active investigations underway when he started the job, there have been several other fatal shootings since he arrived.

Kochis says he’s paying close attention and been receiving regular briefings.

“What we’re seeing is a lot of youth shooting at each other,” he said describing it as neighborhood disputes.

“I wouldn’t say they’re gangs either, just groups of kids. And the issue is where are they getting these guns? So we need to figure that out,” he said.

Kochis has kept his early promise to get out into the community and speak directly with residents about how to build better relations between police and community. He says he’s heard a clear message.

“They want us back in their communities and they want us to be the police again,” he said. “ I’ve seen grandmothers who are afraid to have their grandchildren on the main floor because the bullets coming through. There are bullet holes plugged up with tissues so the breeze doesn’t come in. I mean, you and I would not accept that in our communities, and they shouldn’t accept it in theirs. So we have to be able to get back out there into communities build trust, and do policing the right way. And we’re going to do just that.”

Click here for the full interview with Charlottesville Police Chief Michael Kochis.