By Ray King
Assistant Pine Bluff Police Chief Kelvin Hadley on Friday reviewed crime stats for the month of April and noted that aggravated assaults increased from 23 to 39 during the month.
At a meeting of the Public Safety Committee, Hadley explained the increase.
Hadley said simple assaults increased from 78 in April 2020 to 150 last month.
Councilmember Glen Brown Jr., who serves as chairman of the committee said that COVID was a factor in 2020.
Commercial burglaries increased by one from 11 to 12 while residential burglaries went from 10 to 20. Motor vehicle thefts were also up.
