Members of the Soddy-Daisy City Commission and Police Department will host a community meeting to address the city's growing crime and drug problems in the City Courtroom Thursday, March 8 at 6 p.m.
"If you know there's a perceived problem, you need to get it out in the open so you can do something about it," said Soddy-Daisy Police Chief Phil Hamrick, adding that drugs and crime are increasing nationwide, not just in Soddy-Daisy. "We don't want to let crime get ahead of us; we want to stay one step ahead of crime."
Commissioner Geno Shipley said topics to be discussed in the meeting include the city's Neighborhood Watch program, crime prevention and statistics, and drug abuse and prevention.
"You can only do so much law enforcement," said Hamrick as to why the Police Department wanted to participate in the meeting. "You've got to do some education to go with it."
Shipley said he would like to get local schools and parents involved to get their input on what can and needs to be done to keep drugs away from area children.
Hamrick has requested funds from the commission to hire two additional police officers, which he said would free up more current officers to focus on narcotics. If the budget amendment ordinance passes on second reading March 1, he said they will begin advertising for the positions at that point and should have the officers in place around the beginning of April.