SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — San Diego Police say 2020 saw a decrease in several crime rates and an overall reduction in crime citywide, while murder and aggravated assault rates spiked.
Five of seven categories experienced a decrease in crime last year, including:
- Rape: -13.5% in 2020
- Robbery: -10.3% in 2020
- Burglary: -6.2% in 2020
- Theft: -12.9% in 2020
- Vehicle theft: -4.2% in 2020
Two categories, murder and aggravated assault, saw increases last year:
- Murder: +10% in 2020
- Aggravated assault: +9.1% in 2020
Overall, the city saws crime dropped 8.4% in 2020 compared to the year before. Overall property crimes fell 10.4%, which includes burglary, theft, and vehicle theft; while overall violent crime increased about 1.7%, which includes murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. SDPD says the rate per thousand residents last year is comparable to the rates seen in the early 1970s.
"From facing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic to keeping the peace during the many protests, 2020 was a trying year for police departments across the U.S.," San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit said. "The overall reduction in crime represents the continued work of our police officers every day and on every shift to prevent and reduce crime in our City. In 2021, SDPD will continue to build trust with our communities to stop crime before it starts and keep San Diego one of the safest big cities in the country."
SDPD says the crime trends seen in 2020 in San Diego are comparable with that of other major U.S. cities that have show increases in homicides and aggravated assaults as well.
