Police say violent crime down in downtown Raleigh, but more work is needed

The Raleigh Police Department announced Thursday that overall violent crime is down in its downtown district compared to this time last year.

According to data from the police department, the police responded to 129 calls related to violent crime, roughly 22% fewer than this time in 2023. In the same time frame of 2023, Raleigh police reported 166 violent crimes.

Violent crimes listed in their statistics were:

• Murder, homicide and non-negligent homicide
• Assaults
• Robbery

According to Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson, a concerted effort to bring more officers to the GoRaleigh bus station near Moore Square has contributed to the downward trend in violent crime in downtown.

“That has freed up some of our officers to concentrate more on the violent crime we’re seeing,” she said.

There has been one murder in the downtown district this year. Across the city, however, Raleigh is on pace to have more murders this year than in 2023.

Raleigh resident Kerwin Pittman said there is room for more programs in Raleigh that provide mental health care, access to jobs, affordable housing and other services. He believes if there’s more help for those people committing the crimes, those numbers will go down.

“We have to address the root causes of why these individuals are committing their crimes in the first place,” Pittman said. “Until we do that, it will be a vicious cycle.”

According to Patterson, there have been 19 homicides through the first eight months of 2024, a roughly 12% increase from last year.

While homicides are up, Patterson said Raleigh police has a 95% clearance rate, and police are looking for ways to improve those numbers.

“We are always looking at ways to try and reduce any violent crime that we’re having, particularly homicides, in that community,” Patterson said.

While violent crime was down, thefts were up, as were confiscated firearms. In 2024, Raleigh police responded to 142 car thefts, up 27% from 2023. Police said Kias and Hyundais are the main targets.

“What we’re seeing is a crime of opportunity,” said Lt. John Black, head of the Auto Theft Task Force. “We’re seeing cars that are being left unlocked [and] keys being left in cars.”

Police started the task force in June after officers noticed a spike from 2022 to 2023 in car thefts.

Black said officers have recovered other items as well. It includes firearms, drugs and cash from the cars. Black said stolen cars are more likely used for violent crime.

According to police, the department’s Auto Theft Task Force has recovered 41 cars worth $790,000. Patterson said while violent crime is down, she hopes there will be improvements to car thefts in downtown.

“[We’re] trying to get auto theft down by 5% in the city,” she said.