of our city or its residents.
St. Louis Sees Historic Decrease in Crime in First Two Months of 2025
In a remarkable turn of events, St. Louis has experienced a significant decrease in crime during the first two months of 2025. According to recent statistics, there have been only 14 homicides in the city through March 2, a decrease of 16 compared to the same period in 2024. This marks the lowest number of homicides in St. Louis in the past 11 years.
Violent Crime Down Across the Board
Not only has there been a decrease in homicides, but violent crime as a whole has also seen a significant decline. Burglaries have decreased by 36%, auto thefts by 42%, and shooting incidents by 53%. This positive trend has been attributed to the efforts of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the Circuit Attorney’s Office, the Office of Violence Prevention, and various community organizations and residents.
“One Life Affected by Violent Crime is One Too Many”
Mayor Tishaura O. Jones expressed her satisfaction with the decrease in crime, stating, “One life affected by violent crime is one too many, which is why it is extremely encouraging to see the amount of violent crime continue to drop drastically in St. Louis.” She also acknowledged that there is still more work to be done, but the city is on the right track.
Mayor Jones Takes Action to Support Police Officers
In the past two years, Mayor Jones has taken steps to support and appreciate the hard work of police officers. In 2023, officers received historic raises ranging from 8% to 13%, and earlier this year, Mayor Jones signed another round of raises of up to 7%. Currently, the City and the St. Louis Police Officers Association are in negotiations for another round of raises to increase the department’s competitiveness.
Office of Violence Prevention Created to Stop Violence Before it Happens
In July 2022, Mayor Jones established the Office of Violence Prevention (OVP), which works with various community organizations to design and coordinate violence intervention programs. These programs aim to help individuals get on a non-violent path and thrive. Some of the organizations involved include Show Me Peace, the Diamond Diva Empowerment Foundation, and Living in Victory.
Targeted Neighborhoods See Significant Decrease in Murders
The neighborhoods targeted by OVP have seen a 52% decrease in murders and nonnegligent manslaughter from 2023 to 2024, outperforming the rest of the city. This success has led to the City being selected as an honoree for the FOCUS St. Louis What’s Right with the Region last week. The City’s strategy of street intervention, cognitive behavioral theory, and focused deterrence has played a crucial role in this achievement.
State Legislators Attempt to Take Away Local Control of SLMPD
Despite the clear results and efforts to make St. Louis a safer city, state legislators continue to try and take away local control of the SLMPD. This move goes against the 63.9% of Missourians who voted for local control in 2012. Mayor Jones expressed her disappointment, stating, “When given a chance to vote on this issue, Missourians were extremely clear that they believe local police departments should be accountable to local residents. And under local leadership, St. Louis is now becoming a safer city. But as it turns out, Missouri Republicans don’t care about the safety of our city or its residents.
