Violent crime has fallen sharply in San Antonio in the past year, due to figures released today by the FBI and the San Antonio Police Department, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
As of the end of the 2018 Fiscal Year on September 30, violent crimes and property crimes in San Antonio were down 17% from the year before.
Violent crime, classified as homicide, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault, are down 10% and property crimes, including burglary, larceny theft and motor vehicle theft, the crimes that most people are concerned about, are down 18% from 2017 levels.
The decrease in crime rates is attributed to the continued efforts of the Violent Crime Task Force, which was created last night by local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.
The SAPD also credits now targeted units, including Street Crimes and SWAT.
“The Violent Crime Task Force continues to build upon the incredible progress achieved in 2017,” Police Chief William McManus said. “The numbers speak for themselves, and the task force is responsible for getting hundreds of thousands of grams of illegal drugs, hundreds of weapons and violent criminals off the street. Additionally, this success highlights SAPD’s continued commitment to working in partnership with residents and neighborhoods throughout the city to proactively address quality of life issues.”
The Violent Crime Task Force made 7397 arrests in FY 2018, that is up 87%.
2292 felony warrants were served, that is also up sharply from the year before.
“San Antonio continues to be one of the safest large cities in the country, which is a testament to the dedication of the men and women of SAPD who serve and protect our community," City Manager Sheryl Sculley said.