Violent crime in Atlanta fell again in 2024
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Police chief Darin Schierbaum shares crime statistics from 2024 during a press conference Monday at the Thomasville Recreation Center. Photo: Kristal Dixon/Axios
Homicides and other violent crimes were down for the second consecutive year in Atlanta, a milestone celebrated Monday by city leaders and community partners.
Why it matters: The decrease in violent crime reported in 2024 is a stark contrast from when the numbers were moving in the other direction at the height of the pandemic.
Driving the news: The latest numbers were released Monday at a press conference hosted by the city, which included representatives from other law enforcement agencies and nonprofits that partner with the city to help reduce crime.
- Atlanta Police Department's Zone 3, which includes much of southeast Atlanta, was recognized for having the largest reduction in crime in 2024.
By the numbers: Police chief Darin Schierbaum said overall crime dropped 5% in 2024.
- Atlanta witnessed an 8% drop in crimes against persons. Thefts dropped (29%), as did robberies (15%) and homicides (8%). Crimes against property fell 5%.
- APD's homicide clearance rate, which measures how many cases are solved, in 2024 was 78.5%, higher than the national average of 54%, the chief said.
- APD removed 3,137 firearms from the streets and dismantled 73 drug operations that "were ticking time bombs" in neighborhoods that would have eventually seen gun violence if left in place, Schierbaum said.
What they're saying: Mayor Andre Dickens said when he took office, his major priority was to make Atlanta the safest large metropolitan area in the country, and the city is "making significant improvements in all categories of safety."
- "'One Safe City' is about responding to emergencies, but it is also about prevention and preparedness, and building the city that we love," he said, referencing his citywide safety plan. "[It] is where residents feel secure in their homes, on their streets ... and in their parks."
The fine print: Schierbaum also said Atlanta's E-911 center saw improvements in response times. The average time it took for dispatchers to answer a 911 call dropped from 24.3 seconds to 12.5 seconds in 2024.
- The center received 1.27 million calls last year, Schierbaum said.
What we're watching: For the first time since October 2021, the police department has more than 1,700 officers or individuals who are undergoing training, the chief said.
The big picture: Atlanta's falling homicide rate is part of a national trend among large cities, Axios' Russell Contreras reports.
- Reports from 69 law enforcement agencies — including Atlanta's — showed an 18% drop in homicides in the first nine months of 2024 compared with the same period in 2023, according to stats compiled by the Major Cities Chiefs Association.