OPELOUSAS, La. (KLFY)- The Opelousas Police department investigated five homicides in 2019. The homicide rate decreased by one case compared to 2018.

As Police Chief Martin Mclendon prepares for the new year, he reflected on how the department currently mans the streets.

The department’s motto is, “If you see something say something.” It has transcended well with the community as Mclendon commends the public for playing a huge role in solving all five homicides this year.

“Every last one of them is because the public made a call. From the Walmart shooting to the homicide that took place on Father’s Day,” said Mclendon.

He said he takes pride in the department’s work on building public trust. In 2020, he plans to expand community policing. “Hopefully by the first of April, we’ll be working five zones and putting people in the area where we know as hot spots where crimes are committed,” he said.

“Where we can point out how crimes are taking place in these particular areas and putting officers in those areas where they rightfully belong,” he added.

In 2019,  there were also 16 reported shootings with nine arrests. There were nine reported stabbing incidents with 14 arrests.

“We know it’s young people we’re receiving information about. We have taken guns off the street,” said Mclendon.

Other accomplishments within the department are The Juvenile Assessment Program, the launch of the “Cops that Care” program and Neighborhood Watch.

“And because of the Neighborhood Watch Program, several people have cameras and we were able to identify people breaking into vehicles and took them off the streets,” he added.

His 2020 vision is to hire more officers, empower supervisors and build a sense of protection. “So we have to work day and night to try to make sure we combat the number of shootings, or whatever takes place in that neighborhood because it affects everyone,” said Mclendon.

The department also plans to continue working with officials to get the city jail back open.

The work to refurbish and reopen the jail is being done almost entirely by skilled workers who are serving sentences for nonviolent offenses.