Charlottesville, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Chief Michael Kochis, marking his two-year anniversary as Charlottesville’s Chief of Police, reflected on the recent town hall at Carver Recreation Center. The annual event brought together community members and business owners, emphasizing collaboration in public safety. 

“Part 1 crimes are down, homicides down, and shots fired are down, were making a lot of progress in a lot of things. Staffing is up,” Kochis shared. He underscored the value of community engagement, stating, “The prevention of crime is of greater importance than the punishment of criminals.” 

The Chief highlighted a key moment from a previous town hall when a community member expressed frustration about officers’ lack of engagement. This feedback sparked changes. “When people wave to officers, they want them to wave back. That tells me that this community wants to embrace its police department. They want its police department to wave to them and be you know, personable. “ 

Looking ahead, Kochis is committed to building trust and ensuring officers remain visible and accessible wherever the community needs them, whether at home, on sidewalks, or on street corners. 

Listen here for the full conversation: