HOUSTON – The city of Houston is continuing to see a sustained decrease in violent crime, according to data released by the Houston Police Department.
Houston Police Chief Troy Finner went before city councilmembers Wednesday to share preliminary data that reportedly shows the city’s murder rate is down more than 17%, compared to last year.
Robbery, aggravated assault, and human trafficking also saw a significant double-digit decrease in percentage, a news release from the department said. The numbers, however, show a slight increase of 1.8 % in reported rape incidents.
Watch Finner’s full presentation below:
Among non-violent crime categories, Finner said only auto theft has witnessed an increase of 15.10% in reported cases, partly due to the theft of firearms from vehicles. In 2023, about 3,000 firearms have been reported stolen from vehicles, the department said.
“Too many guns in the wrong hands in our city,” said Chief Finner. “We can’t keep putting guns in the hands of criminals in our city,” Finner added.
Finner said HPD, in conjunction with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office and elected leaders, continues to distribute free gun lock boxes at community meetings.
Finner also discussed the impact of the updated pursuit policy in its first month. According to the department, there have been 40% fewer pursuits, 35% fewer collisions and 35% more pursuit terminations.
“Individuals commit crimes in those vehicles,” Chief Finner said. We can’t just abandon pursuits, but we are working smarter. We are bringing more management to those pursuits.”
Mayor Sylvester Turner said he has also prioritized hiring more officers. By the end of the mayor’s 8-year term, HPD will have added approximately 2,500 cadets to the force, the department stated.
“I’m very proud. This is my city, this is our city and I love it,” Finner said.