CHARLOTTE — Local Republican leaders gathered in Uptown on Wednesday to mark 60 days since the death of Iryna Zarutska, highlighting ongoing concerns about public safety.
Councilman Edwin Peacock emphasized the need for bipartisan efforts to address public safety issues, citing recent violent incidents in Uptown and the surrounding region.
“Public safety does not need to be partisan. We need to be focusing on fixing problems, and finding solutions,” said Peacock.
Peacock emphasized the need for lawmakers to address gaps between law enforcement, prosecutors, and sentencing.
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The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department reports a 20% reduction in violent crime compared to this time last year.
Iryna’s Law, named in memory of Zarutska, aims to eliminate cashless bail for certain violent crimes and repeat offenders. It also mandates judicial officials to review a defendant’s criminal history before setting release conditions and seeks to increase mental health evaluations for defendants.
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