A few categories did see increases, however, including drug and narcotic violations, which rose by nearly 20%, reports NBC 7’s Audra Stafford.
San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl joined Mayor Todd Gloria Tuesday to discuss annual crime statistics for 2024.
According to reports from the San Diego Police Department, San Diego remains one of the safest large cities in the country as crime dropped for the third straight year, with crimes against people decreasing 1.1% and crimes against property falling 4.7% last year.
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WATCH HEREAmong the highlights:
- Homicides decreased by 22% from 2023
- Sexual assaults and robberies are down nearly 11%
- Motor vehicle thefts dropped 19.5%, which the department credits in part, to automated license plate reader technology
- Hate crime reports have gone down 9%
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SIGN UP A few crime categories did see increases:
- Kidnapping and abduction cases went up 17% last year
- Drug and narcotic violations increased by nearly 20%
Officials said the decrease in crime is attributed to outstanding police work, strong community partnerships and an innovative use of technology.
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"For the third year in a row, we've seen crime go down — an achievement that reflects the dedication of our officers, the strength of our community partnerships and the strategic use of technology," Wahl said. "To the men and women of this police department, I am so proud of the work you do every day. To our communities, we will never stop working to make our neighborhoods safer. And to those considering doing harm in our city, let me be clear: Criminal behavior will not be tolerated in San Diego."
Overall crime citywide decreased 1.5% in 2024 after a 2.7% reduction in 2023, according to a report from the department.
Data showed a decrease in over 70% of all the crimes tabulated, police said.
With reporting by NBC 7's Audra Stafford — Ed.
