The Houston Police Department’s 39th annual “March on Crime” campaign will focus on reducing gun violence and car burglaries as the region’s violent crime rate steadily decreases.
During a press conference Wednesday, HPD Chief Troy Finner said the city would aim to maintain the region’s reduced crime rate while expanding youth programs and reducing domestic violence in the Houston area.
“We have a lot of work to do, “Finner said. “When somebody is a victim of violent crime here in this city, we stand behind them.”
Compared to this time last year, violent crime in Houston is currently down by more than 22%, according to HPD data. The reduction is even more drastic when compared to 2021 — a nearly 27% drop.
Overall, Houston saw a nearly 8% decrease in violent crime last year when compared to 2021, according to HPD data.
During Wednesday’s press conference, Mayor Sylvester Turner said the city’s One Safe Houston initiative, which launched in Feb. 2022, has had a positive impact on the crime rate.
“Thanks to this program and other combined efforts, the city of Houston saw a reduction in every major violent crime category,” Turner said. “This is not only because of the additional officers on the street, but also community buy-in and support.”
Additionally, nonviolent crimes like burglaries, thefts and auto thefts are currently down by more than 9% compared to this time last year. Those same crimes saw an increase of more than 8% when compared to 2021, according to HPD data.
“Take valuables out of your car, lock your doors and work with us as we try to make things safer in our apartment complexes, garages, wherever there’s a lot of cars,” Finner said.
Finner also urged residents to properly secure guns when they’re left in cars. About 1,000 guns have been stolen out of cars in the Houston area this year — about 200 more than this time last year, according to Finner.
