And the Gem City saw a spike in killings last year.
Credit: Jim Noelker
Credit: Jim Noelker
A (mostly) good start
In the first half of this year, Dayton police recorded 230 aggravated assaults, 68 aggravated robberies, 68 rapes and 54 robberies. Compared to the same period last year, aggravated robberies have fallen 28%, aggravated assaults are down 25%, robberies have decreased 18% and rapes have declined 13%.
Dayton crime reports Jan. 1, 2025 to June 30, 2025
| Crime category | Number of incidents/reports | % change from 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter | 20 | 18% |
| Forcible rape | 68 | -13% |
| Aggravated robbery | 68 | -28% |
| Robbery | 54 | -18% |
| Aggravated assault | 230 | -25% |
| Breaking and entering | 233 | -16% |
| Residential burglary | 284 | -17% |
| Motor vehicle theft | 734 | -19% |
| Kidnapping/abduction | 41 | -20% |
| Theft of motor vehicle parts | 30 | 11% |
Police say there have been 47 shootings into habitations (-18% from 2024); 41 kidnappings and abductions (-20%); and 405 menacing incidents (-17%). Simple assaults (587 cases) and domestic violence assaults (1,134) are down 3% and 7%, respectively.
A variety of violent and property crime categories have seen the largest decreases in four or more years.
Property crime declines include motor vehicle thefts (-19%); shoplifting (-22%); residential burglaries and vandalism (-17%); and breaking and entering (-16%).
Homicides a problem
Dayton last year saw a sharp increase in homicides, robberies, violent crimes involving firearms, kidnappings and abductions.
Police said there were 44 killings and cases of non-negligent manslaughter, which was was a 47% increase from 2023, and the highest tally since 2020.
Through the end of June of this year, police have recorded 20 homicides and manslaughter cases. That’s three more than in mid-2024 (+18%).
Credit: Jim Noelker
Credit: Jim Noelker
Dayton police Chief Kamran Afzal has said crime and poverty go hand-in-hand, and crime is more prevalent in disadvantaged neighborhoods on the lower end of the socioeconomic spectrum.
He said a substantial share of violent offenses in the city each year are taking place in the same neighborhoods and areas, and a fairly small number of individuals are responsible for many violent acts.
He said police are focused on identifying where crime is occurring and offenders, to try to intervene.
Credit: Bryant Billing
Credit: Bryant Billing
Police technology
The Dayton Police Department earlier this year established a Real Time Crime Center that allows staff to monitor information and data that comes in from police technology, like automated license plate readers and public security cameras, said police Major Jason Hall, commander of agency’s support services division.
Staff share information with officers in the field about potential suspects, suspect vehicle descriptions and they can direct officers where to respond, what to look out for and can provide useful details about what to expect when they arrive on scene, Hall said.
“It makes the job for the responding officer much easier, much clearer, and it also greatly reduces the potential for misidentification or confusion at the crime scene,” Hall said.
The police department proposes to expand its use of high-tech tools. Using a $400,000 state grant, the agency wants to add 27 new automated license plate readers, redeploy a gunshot-detection system and acquire a new “first-responder” drone. The Dayton Police Department last year had 72 fixed-site license plate readers and 16 drones.
The city’s application for state funding said the grant money will be used to combat crime in the Miami Chapel, North Riverdale and Residence Park neighborhoods, which all saw a substantial increase in violent crime last year.
A Dayton Police Department analysis of homicides and felonious assaults from 1999 to 2024 found that Miami Chapel, Santa Clara and the Summit Square apartment complex in the western and northern parts of the city have long been violent crime hot spots.
Credit: Jim Noelker
Credit: Jim Noelker
Also, in response to gun crime and bloodshed, the city has been working toward helping set up a new violence interruption program that officials hope will help prevent conflict among community members from escalating into shootings and killings.
Dayton Mayor Jeffrey Mims Jr. says violence disruption and interruption models in other cities have resulted in significant reductions in violent offenses.
The mayor says more community members, especially young people, need to be taught conflict resolution skills, so that disagreements and disputes don’t spiral into violence.
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