CPD's ‘Operation Overlook' to focus on high-crime area, target teenagers with guns and drugs

Yahoo

14-05-2025

COLUMBUS, Ga. () — Columbus Police announced a sweeping initiative Tuesday to drastically reduce crime.
Chief Stoney Mathis said it would be all hands on deck.
There will be increased police patrols in high-crime areas.
The chief called on parents to help his department find guns and drugs that are in the hands of their children.
'Over the next 30 days, I would like the parents to search their children's rooms and cars,' Mathis said. 'If they find guns or drugs – even if the gun is stolen — call us and we will come pick it up. No questions asked.'
Operation Overlook will run for the next month, putting more uniformed officers onto the streets in high-crime areas.
But Mathis says this does not work without the help of the parents of teenagers playing a role.
'The goal is to get the parents to really watch out for their children,' Mathis said. 'And what they could be doing is saving their child's life.'
Mark Lawrence, the pastor at Mount Olive Baptist Church in Fortson, applauds the police efforts to get guns out of children's hands.
'Parents must docket their own house,' Lawrence said. 'They must take care of their home. They need to know their children's rooms. And the children must know that their parents will hold them accountable for what they bring into the house and what they take out. If parents don't hold their kids accountable, the law will.'
Mathis will pull 109 detectives out of their rotations and put them on the street in uniforms. Cpl. Matthew Spivey, a Violent Crimes detective, is one of those who will be patrolling the streets one or two days a week.
'We can use those same skills we use day in and day out investigating violent crimes to get out there and prevent crimes before they start rather than be reactive on the backside,' Spivey said.
Mayor Skip Henderson says when Mathis pitched the idea of this initiative, there was no hesitation.
'The reaction was, we are on board. What do you need?' Henderson said. 'The council would be willing to provide any resources necessary to try and make a significant statement in the community by having many additional police officers on the streets.'
Mathis knows there will be critics of this operation.
'But those are the true minority,' he said. 'The majority of people in Columbus would love to see crime reduced. There are some people throughout this community who would love to see me and the police department fail. We are not going to let that happen.'
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