BAKER – The City of Baker is looking for the communities help after a deadly December where it reported its first homicides in three years.

"I don't walk around like I'm a crime dictionary, so if someone can explain something a little easier I want to learn something every day,” Baker Police Chief Carl Dunn said.

Mayor Darnell Waites reached out to Chief Dunn a couple weeks ago with the idea to create a Community Safety Task Force, which was introduced to the city council Tuesday night.

Multiple shootings in December, including one on McHugh Road that left a person dead, sparked this response.

"Those are very unfortunate. especially for those families. And we're going to do all that we can so we don't have any more. You have to realize, I hadn't had a homicide since 2017 in Baker," Dunn said.

The task force would involve community leaders, the fire department, police department and some council members to work together and manage the recent crime.

"We want to initiate the contact more. If we don't have enough contact, we need the numbers to open the communication lines up, keep them open and keep everyone safe," Dunn said.

In one week, residents can weigh in on what needs to be done in to prevent crime during an online town hall meeting. After that, the council will approve the development of the task force.

"We are open. We don't have the solution to everything, lord I wish we did, but we don't. We want all hands on deck,” Dunn said.

The meeting is scheduled for Jan. 19, from 6 - 7 p.m.. For updates on the meeting and what is going on in Baker, residents can text ‘LABAKER UPDATES’ to 468311.