CHARLOTTE, NC -- Less than two weeks into 2020, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Kerr Putney looked back on the violent year that was 2019.

He addressed the city's 107 murders, saying most of them were caused by "petty arguments" over things like drugs, money, and social media posts. 

CMPD says violent crime increased 12% in 2019, and the homicide rate increased by a troubling 90 percent. 

But Chief Putney also chose to focus on the positive work done by the police department and community groups. 

Several activists say they need help from the city to fund their groups, because right now most of them are paying out-of-pocket to support change in Charlotte. 

“If they put the funding, if they put the money into these programs that are out here in the community, that’s doing the work that’s needed, then you can have these organizations that’s out here doing that work that can partnership with other people that’s doing the work," says Arkevious Armstrong, the founder of Step Up to Leadership Social Development Program. 

For more statistics from CMPD on crime and community engagement, click here. 

CMPD 2019 End-Of-Year Report - Safety, Trust and Accountability by Justin on Scribd