In a recent report, the Las Cruces Police Department revealed that crime rates in 2023 have actually decreased, despite an increase in calls for service compared to the previous year.
In a recent town hall event, Police Chief Jeremy Story shared some promising news. According to his report, there has been an 18 percent decrease in violent crime and a 2 percent decrease in property crime within the department’s jurisdiction. Despite the increased number of calls, police were kept busy last year, constantly moving from one call to the next.
In the latest data, there has been a significant increase in service calls, with a total of 13,902 more calls compared to the previous year. This surge in calls has also led to 498 more incident reports being filed. These numbers indicate a notable rise in demand for services and a potential increase in incidents that require attention.
Statistics indicate a notable shift in crime rates, with a 4 percent decline in total violent and property crime observed from 2022 to 2023. This stands in stark contrast to the previous year, which saw a significant 23 percent surge in these offenses from 2021 to 2022.
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Violent crimes encompass a range of offenses, such as homicide, sexual assault, aggravated assault, robbery, and even shoplifting. In the year 2023, Las Cruces experienced:
- Seven homicides, three fewer than 2022,
- 442 reports of aggravated assaults, a 20 decrease from 2022.
The number of violent crime cases in 2023 decreased to 578, down from 711 in 2021 and 708 in 2022. “The numbers remain higher than previous years, but it’s a positive trend that we aim to sustain,” Story stated.
A recent report has brought attention to a significant drop in “use of force” incidents by police in 2023. The findings reveal a notable 21 percent decrease, indicating a potential shift in law enforcement practices. In 2023, a total of 260 incidents occurred, one of which was the shooting of Teresa Gomez in October. In 2023, the number dropped to 328, a significant decrease from the previous year.
According to Story, the LCPD has categorized deadly force incidents as being on the lower end of the spectrum in terms of use of force incidents.
“It encompasses a broad range of actions, ranging from forced stabilization and non-compliant handcuffing to the use of tasers and other intermediate force, all the way up to the use of deadly force,” stated Story. “With a significant 21 percent reduction, a large portion falls on the lower end of the spectrum.”
