State Representative Rodney D. Pierce has sent a formal letter to state executive and legislative leaders urging the formation of a bipartisan rural violent crime task force to address what he describes as an often-overlooked crisis in North Carolina’s rural communities.
In the correspondence Pierce cites the State Bureau of Investigation’s most recent data that shows the top 10 counties with the highest violent crime rates per 100,000 residents are all rural, including ninth-ranked Northampton County, which Pierce represents in House District 27. Other counties on the list include Montgomery, Robeson, Scotland, Vance, Lenoir, Cumberland, Edgecombe, Beaufort, and Richmond.
The letter was sent to Governor Josh Stein, House Speaker Destin Hall, Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger, Senate Minority Leader Sydney Batch, and House Minority Leader Robert Reives.
“Too often, the conversation around violent crime focuses solely on our cities,” Pierce wrote. “But our rural communities are on the frontlines of gun violence, domestic violence, and drug-related crime – without receiving commensurate attention or support.”
In the wake of heightened public concern over violent crime, including the recent murder of a Ukrainian refugee in Charlotte, Pierce is calling on state leadership to expand the scope of public safety reforms to ensure rural areas are not left behind.
In his letter, Pierce proposes the task force be made up of lawmakers from both chambers and parties, alongside local sheriffs, educators, nonprofit leaders, re-entry specialists, behavioral health professionals, and victims’ families. He also called for the establishment of a Rural Public Safety Roundtable to craft durable, community-driven policy solutions.
Key recommendations outlined in the letter include:
Increased funding for rural law enforcement agencies
Expansion of Community Violence Prevention Grants targeting small towns
Enhanced support for rural mental health and youth programs
Greater investment in local re-entry councils
Support for placing school resource officers in all schools, including enabling retired officers to serve in rural private and faith-based schools
“The formation of a bipartisan rural violent crime task force and the targeted investments I’ve outlined are essential first steps in addressing a crisis that has been ignored for far too long,” said Pierce. “Rural lives matter just as much in the statewide conversation about crime and justice.”
The letter also commends Speaker Hall’s proposal to provide SROs in every public school and encourages future legislation that supports innovative rural safety strategies, including tapping into retired law enforcement personnel.
Pierce – a former educator and advocate for underserved communities – emphasized that bipartisan cooperation is essential to reversing the rising tide of violence in rural North Carolina. “I look forward to working with each of my colleagues in the General Assembly, regardless of party, to bring safety, support, and hope to all corners of our great state.”
