Violent crime continues to trend downward in Akron in 2022

AKRON, Ohio (WOIO) - The 19 data journalism team has uncovered a significant drop in violent crime in Akron. New data revealed the trend has continued into 2022.

“We’ve really taken a precision type focus as it deals with gun violence with the Akron Police Department,” said Akron Police Deputy Chief Jesse Leeser.

For the second year in a row, a record number of guns were taken off Akron’s streets. In 2021, officers recovered nearly 1,300 firearms, 36% more than the previous year.

While the gun seizures went up, Akron police’s end-of-year statistics show violent crime went down. Murders and felonious assaults both dropped by almost 20% in 2021. There were also significant reductions in arsons, robberies, and breaking and entering cases.

Last October, Deputy Chief Jesse Leeser told us part of the department’s success in reducing crime could be attributed to their partnerships with federal, state, and other local law enforcement agencies.

“Those resources leveraged against our own resources have helped, I think, and so we’ve seen a year trend downward in most major categories of reported crime,” Leeser said.

Of the ten major “offenses” tracked by Akron police, only two categories saw increases last year: car thefts were up slightly. 163 overdose deaths brought the city’s total up 13% from 2020. Car thefts went up 1%.

Last year, there were six homicides between January 1st and February 1st in Akron. According to the Summit County Medical Examiner’s office, there have been four murders to date in 2022.

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