CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Charleston Police Chief Tyke Hunt is crediting the work of every member of the police department when it comes to the numbers seen in the year-end report for crime in 2019.
The report was released over the weekend and Hunt says he is proud to see a “downward trend.” The numbers show mixed results as certain crimes are down, up and nearly the same as 2018.
According to the report, there were eight murders in Charleston in 2019, up one from 2018 but down from 2016 and 2017. Seven of the eight murders in 2019 occurred in the West District of the city.
51 rapes occurred over the past year, the same number in 2018. That is down from 55 in 2017 but more than the 36 in 2016.
Robberies have been dramatically declining, according to the report. 55 were reported in 2019, nearly 100 less than robberies in 2016.
83 malicious woundings were reported last year, which is trending down from 114 in 2016. Larcenies are also on a downward trend from more than 2,000 in 2014 to 1,177 in 2019.
Breaking and entering autos and motor vehicle theft were also down in 2019 compared to 2018.
“This is complemented by the community assistance we have received. Over the years the number of Neighborhood Watch groups and partnerships with other organizations have grown,” Hunt said in a release.
Other numbers released by the CPD includes a dramatic decrease in traffic warnings and seatbelt violations. DUIs saw a large increase with 613 in 2019, compared to 237 in 2017.
222 overdoses were reported in 2019, up from 182 in 2018 but down from 279 in 2017. Deaths because of overdose totaled 18 in Charleston last year, seven more than 2018 and 11 less than in 2017.
In 2018, more than 5,800 people were arrested. In 2019, around 5,300 people were arrested.
“I plan to increase the number of new relationships between the Charleston Police Department and the community while strengthening the partnerships we have in place,” Hunt said in a release.
“I know there is still a lot of work to be done and this collaborative effort is how we can build a safer community.”