BATON ROUGE - So far, 2024 has the fifth-highest homicide rate on record within the city limits of Baton Rouge. Mayoral candidates Nathaniel Hearn, R-Baton Rouge, and Ted James, D-Baton Rouge, told WBRZ what they think the city needs to deter violent crime.

"Enforcing stronger punishment and actually making sure that our criminal justice system runs smoothly and efficiently," Hearn said.

"We need to invest in those preventative programs, we need to strengthen opportunities for young people in terms of education and job creation," James said.

Hearn says merging the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office and Baton Rouge Police would greatly benefit the city.

"That allows more specific policing in certain localized areas where crime is at a higher level," Hearn said.

James said that he believes the two departments should be working together, but not merge. 

"Our sheriff's department and BRPD should be working together, especially in the zip codes we know the large percentage of the crime is," James said.

Hearn says a direct approach is needed to decrease violence in Baton Rouge.

"We need to enforce crime deterrence in the higher crime areas before things get out of hand and crime spreads to another area. We need to meet violence face to face, getting in at the ground level and addressing the individual situations as they arise," he said.

James says the problem is more than just a law enforcement issue. He believes social issues need to be addressed in order to see a decrease in crime.

"We have to make sure that we provide opportunities for those that are going to take advantage and help those who need it. Such as those with a mental illness or drug addiction. We have to have a whole government approach or none of us are going to be in the community that we all deserve to live in," he said.