While most violent crimes are declining in Minnesota, other crimes, such as assaults on police officers, are on the rise.
According to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension's 2023 Uniform Crime Report, violent crime statewide decreased by 6.9% compared to 2022. The report also highlighted that violent crime in metropolitan areas decreased by more than 8%.
The number of carjackings, defined as when a vehicle is forcibly stolen, also fell by 37.8%, according to the BCA.
Though auto thefts fell for the first time since 2020, Jeff Potts, executive director of the Minnesota Association of Chiefs of Police, feels the 2023 figure of 15,612 is still too high.
“It's a step in the right direction, but I think there are still areas where there are still certain types of crimes that are still of concern to law enforcement,” Potts said of the report's findings.
Earlier this summer, 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS reported on the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office’s efforts to curb the number of auto thefts with its new Auto Theft Unit.
Minneapolis, one of Hennepin County's biggest car theft hotspots, is on track to see a drop in car thefts of more than 20% by 2024, according to city data.
“Reducing violent crime remains a top priority for our police department and our city,” Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara said in a statement. “While violent crime remains higher than pre-pandemic levels, we are encouraged to see a decrease in 2023. This is a testament to the incredible officers who continue to work every day in Minneapolis, despite all the challenges they face.”
Potts said he was also concerned by the rise in assaults on police officers, with the report showing 144 more police officers were assaulted in 2023 than the previous year.
RELATED: Assaults against Minnesota police officers have doubled since 2019, new data shows
Bias crimes also increased last year.
Potts looked back at the state report and compared it to crime trends before the pandemic, saying many crimes spiked in 2020.
“There have been some positive signs this year. I'm not going to deny that,” Potts said, “but in areas that really matter to people – homicide rates, auto theft rates, aggravated assault rates – you know, they remain significantly higher to this day than they were pre-pandemic. We still have work to do.”
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