San Antonio's property crimes follow national uptick
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San Antonio's property crimes are rising, mirroring a national trend, while violent crimes dropped throughout the U.S. in 2022 compared to 2021, according to the FBI's annual report released this week.
Why it matters: A pandemic-era surge in violent crime in some cities contributed to a halt on police reform efforts and pressure on Democratic mayors, but new data suggests the tide may be turning.
- San Antonio's record $3.7 billion budget, which took effect Oct. 1, includes funding for 117 new police officers.
Zoom in: With the exception of robbery and arson, all violent crimes in San Antonio — which include rape, homicide and burglary — are above pre-pandemic levels, according to FBI data.
Yes, but: San Antonio Police Department spokesperson Washington Moscoso tells Axios that the FBI comparison, which spans several years, does not take into account the city's explosive growth.
- Moscoso points to year-to-date data instead.
By the numbers: From January to September, property crime (car theft, larceny, vandalism) was the only crime category that increased compared with the same period last year.
- 83,731 of those crimes were reported as of Oct. 2, compared with 78,734 last year.
What they're saying: There are no patterns or commonalities among the crimes reported, Moscoso says.
- "The crimes are occurring all over the city, not any one area is seeing more than any other area."
What they did: Property crimes units were centralized in a task force this year in response to the upward trends, Moscoso says.
- The move allows for proactive investigations, like sting operations and surveillance as opposed to reactionary, or waiting for crimes to be reported, he adds.
Flashback: SAPD also started hot-spot policing this year, after working with the University of Texas at San Antonio to develop a plan for reducing violent crime.
- Officers sit in marked police cars in hot spots, identified by UTSA. Their presence is meant to deter people from committing crimes, Police Chief William McManus previously told Axios.
Zoom out: Reported murder and non-negligent manslaughter cases in 2022 nationwide fell 6.1% compared with 2021, according to the FBI.
- There was a 5.4% decrease in the number of reported rape cases, and aggravated assaults were down 1.1.%
- Overall, the rate of violent crime — murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault — was 380.7 per 100,000 inhabitants compared with 387 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2021, an Axios review of FBI data found.
Between the lines: This was the second consecutive year the FBI reported a decline in violent crime.
- Crime is expected to be a significant issue in the 2024 election. Violent crime rates are still nowhere near their highs in the 1990s.