Racine seeing reduction in violent crime from 2023; community leaders discuss why

 

RACINE, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The city of Racine is seeing a positive trend in violent crime statistics, with significant reductions in homicides and shots fired from this time last year.

Authorities and advocates are attributing the reduction to better community partnerships.

"We want to make sure that this is not just about people being locked up. It's about the support and help we give in these areas," said Maurice Horton, the community violence prevention manager for Racine County.

Horton is a large part of Racine's Violent Crime Reduction Initiative - a city, county, and community collaboration that launched in 2022.

Two years later, their effort seems to be working.

According to data from Racine Police Department, the city has not had any reported homicides in 2024, compared to 6 this time in 2023.

10 people have been reported shot this year, versus 31 by the end of June last year.

"We're getting better reporting this year than we did last year," said Assistant Chief Rick Toeller with Racine Police Department. "So, while our numbers show that we're going down, it's going down probably much more significantly than what the numbers would show."

Toeller said community policing and partnership has been key.

"Getting out there and making contact with the people who are victims of whatever else, so that they in turn don't take their vengeance and take it upon themselves to retaliate," he explained. "Trying to get people to talk and work through these situations."

That's exactly what Nakeyda Haymer does as the state lead of Voices of Black Mothers United - connecting with victims and those at risk of violent crime.

"Nobody wants to be unsafe, nobody wants to be impacted, nobody wants to lose their life, so when we show them some other way, they take it," said Haymer, who also serves Racine County's Violent Crime Reduction Coordinator.

In order to continue the trend, Haymer believes the community needs to stay involved and committed.

"I just think that it's an indicator that we're moving in the right direction and giving other people hope," she said.