Thanks to the hard work of HPD officers, Mayor Sylvester Turner’s One Safe Houston initiative, and the support of the Houston City Council and citizens, the murder rate decreased by nine percent compared to 2021.

Preliminary data shows decreases in three other violent crime categories; with robberies down by nine percent, aggravated assaults down by eight percent and rapes down by 18 percent.

Safety and security of our city is paramount.  In 2022, for the fifth consecutive year, HPD officers and investigators arrested more than 21,000 individuals charged with felony offenses, totaling more than 105,000 arrests.

The city experienced an increase in property crimes in 2022. Thefts of catalytic converters by an organized crime ring and thefts of firearms not properly secured in vehicles, drove up the reported auto theft crimes by 11 percent.

To address the thefts, HPD leadership, officers, and support staff prioritized the education of Houstonians and utilized its partnerships and targeted surveillance in communities across the city to proactively prevent property crime.

The overall data shows HPD’s crime-fighting efforts are working, but there’s still more work to be done, that is why the Houston Police Department places an emphasis on using technology as a force multiplier.

One Safe Houston also prioritizes hiring more police officers. In December 2022, Mayor Turner and city council announced a $10,000 hiring incentive for cadets. The first cadet graduation class of 2023 included 61 new officers who were the first to receive the incentive pay.  During Mayor Turner’s tenure, the department has sworn in more than 2,000 new officers from 34 cadet classes.  HPD continues to be a major attraction for highly-motivated individuals who pride themselves in protecting and serving with honor, integrity and respect.

The PowerPoint presentation, including preliminary stats, is available for download here: https://cityofhouston.news/28704-2/