DAYTON — Police said Dayton has experienced a decrease in certain violent crimes.
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Dayton Police Chief Kamran Afzal reported that violent crimes are down 19% across the city, with homicides slightly decreasing from 28 last year to 27 this year.
“For part of a violent crime, we were down 19% as of this past week,” said Chief Kamran Afzal of the Dayton Police Department. “Homicide, we were at 27 compared to 28 last year.”
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Despite the promising numbers, Chief Afzal emphasized that these statistics reflect a normalization following the COVID-19 pandemic rather than a complete victory over crime.
“A lot of things slowed down quite a bit. And as soon as we came out of COVID, things kinda exploded,” Afzal said, noting the importance of comparing these numbers to those from 2022 to gauge real progress.
Afzal also stressed that even one crime is too many, highlighting the ongoing need for vigilance and improvement in public safety.
Dayton Mayor Jeffrey Mims is also taking steps to address crime through a violence interruption program and a peace campaign.
“The message that we’re trying to send is that we are on the way to try to make Dayton the most peaceful city in the world,” Mims said.
The peace campaign will focus on training young people and addressing crime hotspots identified by the police.
Both Chief Afzal and Mayor Mims acknowledge that reducing crime in Dayton is a long-term effort, requiring sustained work over several years.
The city is preparing to sign an agreement to initiate the peace campaign soon.
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