The Springfield Police Department is out with numbers showing a seven percent overall reduction in crime in the city from 2020 to 2021.
The department’s annual crime report shows crimes against people, like assault and murder, increased 3.6%, but crimes against property dropped more than 11%.
Here’s the full release from SPD, as well as a link to the crime report.
Springfield, Mo. – The Springfield Police Department’s 2021 crime report tracks and analyzes more than 50 crime types in three categories: crimes against persons, crimes against property and crimes against society. The report also contains a comparison to crime report numbers from 2020.
In 2021, there was a 3.6 percent increase (+211 reports) for crimes against persons, an 11.3 percent decrease (-1,928 reports) for crimes against property, and a 2.2 percent decrease (-60 reports) for crimes against society. Overall, crime in Springfield in 2021 was down 6.9 percent (-1,777 reports) compared to 2020.
“Through tracking and releasing crime data, we can give citizens a realistic look at crime in our community,” Police Chief Paul Williams said. “The information helps us identify successful policing strategies as well as highlighting areas where we can make improvements through community-wide participation in crime prevention.”
This is the first time SPD has been able to compare a full year of crime report data since switching to the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), administered by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in January 2020. The implementation of NIBRS allows for a significantly more comprehensive look at crime in the community compared to the data tracked in previous years.
The 2021 crime report also features updated clearance rates. Clearance rates are fluid and change over time as investigations progress and eventually lead to prosecution. The side-by-side comparison serves as an example of how clearance rates have and will continue to evolve.
The crime prevention initiative, launched in early 2022, aims to reduce crime in the community through the education of the public. With the public’s help, SPD can continue the trend of reducing crime in Springfield. To learn more, visit springfieldmo.gov/crime.