ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Seven homicides have occurred this year in Asheville, making policing even more of a hot button issue among city residents.

With an election only months away, Asheville voters want to know what the city council candidates plan to do for the Asheville Police Department (APD).

In exclusive interviews with 828newsNOW, candidates weighed in on public safety issues in the city, and gave a grade to APD for how they feel they’ve been handling these issues.

Candidate responses are listed in the order of which they were interviewed. City council incumbent Kim Roney, who is running for reelection, could not be reached for an interview.

Tod Leaven (D)

“The City demands a lot of the Police Department,” said Tod Leaven.

Leaven recalled, “you didn’t go downtown in the ‘80’s unless you wanted a hooker or crack… It’s way better now.”

He lauds the current city council for giving the APD a raise, saying it will help attract new hires. “That’s the kind of meritocracy I want.”

“What they’re doing with the resources they have,” Leaven said, “I’d give them an ‘A.’”

Bo Hess (D)

“I got beat down and tazed [by police] and then got back up and started training them,” said Bo Hess.

As a psychiatric social worker, Hess said, “I’ve trained most of [the APD] in crisis intervention, personality disorders, sociopathy [and] psychopathy.”

“They’re not paid enough,” said Hess. “Making sure they have staffing,” he believes, is a matter of salary.

Hess believes the APD deserves an “A+.”

C.J. Domingo (R)

“[The APD] have had a lot of attrition,” said C.J. Domingo. “I think the officers there are trying their best.”

“When you call and ask someone for help and [are] told to go online and fill out a report, you don’t feel whole,” he explained. “That was under the previous police chief.”

“These things are all about trust,” Domingo said. “If you don’t give people the services they need, you’ll lose their trust.”

“I would not want to put a grade” on the APD, Domingo concluded.

Kevan Frazier (D)

“Chief Lamb was the right hire,” said Kevan Frazier.

By Frazier’s approximation, the force is “about sixty-four officers down.”

“The big issue right now is there’s not enough coverage,” Frazier expressed. “They need more staff.”

“I’d give them an A- right now,” Frazier said.

Sage Turner (D, Incumbent)

Current City Councilwoman Sage Turner oversaw the hire of Chief Mike Lamb.

“They’ve been down as much as forty percent staff and still make it work,” Turner said.

Turner graded the APD’s performance an “A+.”

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