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HOUSTON - Amid recent crimes around the city of Houston such as Pablo Patino setting his home on fire after assaulting his wife and a man shooting a robber to death after he attempted to rob a taqueria, Houston officials release a crime report highlighting a decrease in violent crimes.
On Wednesday, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner shared a detailed crime summary report to the Houston City Councilmembers that showed data revealing a reduction in violent crimes across all council districts.
"Thanks to the hard work of HPD officers, Mayor Sylvester Turner's One Safe Houston initiative, and the support of the Houston City Council and citizens, the murder rate decreased by nine percent compared to 2021," the release stated.
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According to officials, preliminary data showed a decrease in three other violent crime categories. Robberies were down by nine percent, aggravated assaults down by eight percent, and rapes were down by 18 percent.
However, the city experienced an increase in property crimes in 2022, the report said. Catalytic converter thefts by an organized crime ring and thefts of a firearm from cars, increased auto theft crime by 11 percent.
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Andy Kahan with Crime Stoppers in Houston breaks down how out of control violent crime has gotten
Crime victim advocates like Andy Kahan with Crime Stoppers, argues there has been a trend in violent crime that in his decades-long career has seen a lot, but nothing like the myriad of homicides Harris County has been experiencing. Coupled with violent offenders posting bail on several felony bonds.
To combat this, the Houston Police Department said its leadership, officers, and support staff prioritized educating Houston residents and utilized its partnerships and targeted surveillance in communities across the city to prevent property crime.
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Last year in 2022, HPD officers and investigators were said to have arrested more than 21,000 people charged with felonies for the fifth consecutive year. This totaled more than 105,000 arrests,
"Safety and security of our city is paramount," the HPD said.
Overall, the report showed how HPD's efforts are working, but it's still not enough. HPD says that's why they placed an emphasis on using technology as a force multiplier.
Their One Safe Houston initiative, which launched in February 2022, prioritizes hiring more police officers.
In December 2022, Mayor Sylvester Turner and the city council announced a $10,000 hiring incentive for cadets. The first cadet graduation class of 2023 included 61 new officers who were the first to receive the incentive pay.
Since Mayor Turner's been in office, HPD says they've sworn in more than 2,000 new officers from 34 cadet classes.
You can view the full presentation and statistics here.