One-on-one with Prince George's County Police Chief Malik Aziz

As summer crime spikes in Prince George’s County, Police Chief Malik Aziz is speaking one-on-one with FOX 5’s Sierra Fox about what his department is doing to keep the community safe.

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. - As summer crime spikes in Prince George’s County, Police Chief Malik Aziz is speaking one-on-one with FOX 5’s Sierra Fox about what his department is doing to keep the community safe.

The agency will be using data, new technology and even community relations to help decrease the violence.

Research shows when the temperatures rise, so does crime. That’s why Prince George’s County Police Chief Malik Aziz says they’re focusing on specific hot spots to drive down the violence this summer.

In Prince George’s County, overall crime is down – that includes carjackings, deadly shootings, and homicides. However, violent crimes – specifically assaults with no weapons like fights – are up.

"Stats mean one thing and then there is the perception of crime," Aziz said. "The fear of crime."

Aziz understands while some people feel safe, others don’t.

"I’m more focused on what the community believes is going on, what they know is happening in their community," Aziz said.

Right now, county police are still searching for the suspect in a tragic shooting that claimed the life of a 6-year-old boy who had been celebrating the 4th of July at a neighborhood gathering.

Ahsan Julian Payton was shot and killed after violence erupted during a barbeque on Akron Street in Temple Hills. The search continues for the suspects who opened fire.

Police just arrested and charged two 21-year-olds from D.C. for the murder of 16-year-old Juan Roach.

Back on June 27, Roach was discovered suffering from a gunshot wound on Towne Park Road in Suitland. He later died at the scene.

"Those are things that concern me, they worry me about young people who are picking up weapons and using a weapon to resolve conflict and it’s problematic because it’s too many young people dying," Aziz said.

That’s why Prince George’s County has a curfew for kids in place, specifically at National Harbor where video early on in the summer. The chief says so far it has been successful in reducing bad behavior.