Milwaukee leaders tout drop in overall violent crime in 2022, despite record year in homicides
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- City leaders discussed progress made in bringing down overall violent crime in 2022, despite reaching a record in homicides last year.
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman and Office of Violence Prevention Director Ashanti Hamilton presented a review of crime data during a news conference at MPD headquarters on Thursday, Jan. 12.
Happening now: Milwaukee leaders discuss 2022 violence numbers. While the city hit a record in homicides last year, overall violent crime is down 7 percent. pic.twitter.com/o6ebb3GQiV
— Victor Jacobo (@victorjacobo_) January 12, 2023
Total violent crime dropped 7% in 2022, with significant drops in other categories like robbery (-14%), burglary (-18%), theft (-15%), auto theft (-23%) and total property crime (-19%).
"Although we've seen decreases in several types of crime in 2022, we must continue to work together with the community and citizen partners to continue to decrease crime within the city," Chief Norman said.
A look at some of the numbers in 2022: pic.twitter.com/73SpzOYd7q
— Victor Jacobo (@victorjacobo_) January 12, 2023
But the data point drawing the most attention and discussion is homicides.
Those figures climbed from 190 in 2020, to 193 in 2021 and finally to 214 in 2022, signaling a troubling trend. But Mayor Johnson hopes to reverse that trend in the new year.
"We're not simply reacting to homicides in Milwaukee in addition to enforcement and intervention, we're also working on long-term strategies to address the situation in the city as well," Johnson told reporters.
The complete year-end review from MPD can be seen below: