Spectrum 1: City of Cleveland sees reduction in violent crime from this summer to last summer

Nora McKeown, Spectrum 1

CLEVELAND — The city of Cleveland is reporting less violent crime this summer compared to last summer.

Homicides are down by almost 40%, from 70 murders in the summer of 2023 to 44 in the summer of 2024. 

“Today is a positive milestone in terms of the work we’ve been doing to reduce violent crime in our fair city,” Mayor Justin Bibb said.

The Bibb administration’s “all hands on deck” approach to curbing crime this summer involved deploying resources from various city departments to neighborhoods across the city.

According to city data, violent crime is down by a total of 13% compared to this time last year, but there has been a slight increase in rape, burglary and arson. 

“Data tells us that 4% of respective cities and their geography are responsible for nearly half, half of all violent crime,” Bibb said.

Bibb said this summer, his team deployed police and other resources into five “hotspots” across the city where the most crime is reported. 

Besides increasing officer presence, the city is prioritizing the completion of public work orders, property maintenance inspections and community building efforts in those neighborhoods.

“Reducing violent crime and keeping our city safe and secure is a group project,” he said. “It’s a group project.”

The city’s director of community relations, Angela Shute-Woodson, said her department is working closely with police to patrol neighborhood streets from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. 

“And what we’ve been learning through our work at these hotspots that have been identified in the neighborhoods is that most of the youth we saw that were out past curfew, were (seeking) food,” Shute-Woodson said. “They’re utilizing these 24 hour gas stations and convenience stores because they’re hungry.”

Bibb said his administration also believes prioritizing youth programming can help keep kids off the streets and out of criminal activity. 

Over the summer, he said the city paid out over $2 million in wages to about 1200 young people hired for summer jobs. 

While celebrating the progress made this summer, Bibb said it’s important to acknowledge the work that still needs to be done. 

The choice to hold this update at the third police district isn’t random; it’s where Jamieson Ritter, the officer who was tragically killed in the line of duty this summer, reported to work every day.

“One homicide is too many, and today is not a mission accomplished moment for us as a city,” Bibb said.

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