MILWAUKEE — The city of Milwaukee released crime statistics for the first quarter of 2023 on Tuesday.
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, Police Chief Jeffrey Norman, and Office of Violence Prevention Director Ashanti Hamilton announced the figures during a news conference.
Overall, violent crime and property crime fell compared to the first quarter of 2022. Homicides were down 22 percent, and aggravated assaults, human trafficking and burglaries also dropped.
Robberies, however, were up four percent and rapes three percent. Homicides also rose 50 percent compared to the first quarter of 2021.
Quarterly Review by TODAY'S TMJ4
"The numbers are positive. But let me be clear, though. I'm not satisfied. I'm not satisfied with the levels of crime and violence here in the city," said Mayor Cavalier Johnson.
Two of the most glaring increases were non-fatal shootings and carjackings.
Compared to Q1 of 2022, non-fatal shootings rose from 174 to 175, and carjackings increased by 40 percent from 77 to 108.
Police Chief Jeffery Norman said young people, in part, are to blame for those rising numbers.
"Juvenile behavior must be addressed," he said. "We're working to forge additional partnerships to target juvenile behavior to prevent and deter dangerous behavior, but to arrest only when necessary."
Press Release April 18, 2023 MPD’s First-Quarter Review by TODAY'S TMJ4 on Scribd
Mayor Johnson acknowledged violent crimes, like the shooting of a party bus in Milwaukee over the weekend, send out a bad message about the city. And he said, once again, that it will take more than just law enforcement to deal with these problems.
"It pisses me off. I get upset about that," said Johnson. "Every person needs to be involved in public safety. Everybody has a role to play in reducing crime."
Previous reporting below:
2022 crime numbers: City of Milwaukee homicides up 11%, serious crime down 15%
By Madison Goldbeck, Jan 11, 2023
Overall serious crime in Milwaukee was down by a combined 15% in 2022 when compared to 2021 numbers, according to city officials. However, homicides in Milwaukee climbed 11%.
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman, and Office of Violence Prevention Director Ashanti Hamilton gathered Thursday morning to discuss the 2022 Milwaukee crime numbers.
Serious crime is defined by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as Part 1 Offenses. This includes criminal homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny theft, motor vehicle theft, arson, and human trafficking - both commercial sex acts and involuntary servitude.
The City of Milwaukee broke its homicide record for the third year in a row in November 2022. According to the Milwaukee Police Department's (MPD) database, there were 214 homicides in 2022 compared to a total of 193 in 2021. In 2020 there were 190, and in 2019, there were 97.
As of Wednesday, there have been three homicides so far this year in Milwaukee. In the same time frame last year, there were four homicides, and in 2021, there were five.
Another area of crime that saw an increase in 2022 was carjackings in Milwaukee. MPD numbers show there were 372 carjackings in 2021, which rose by 7% in 2022 with 397 carjackings. Arson also saw a 4% increase with 246 incidents in 2021 and 255 in 2022.
The city saw a 23% decrease in motor vehicle thefts. MPD's database shows there were 10,486 car thefts in 2021 compared to 8,090 in 2022. Robbery was also an area of crime that decreased. When compared to 2021 numbers, robbery went down 14% in Milwaukee in 2022. Non-fatal shootings remained about the same with 873 in 2021 and 877 in 2022.
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