TPD touts crime reductions in Friday's 2024 Annual Report release
The Brief
The Tampa Police Department released its 2024 Annual Report on Friday.
The report detailed how officers kept people safe during last year's Gasparilla season and evacuated residents during the hurricane season, as well as statistics on the city's overall crime rates.
Moving into 2025, TPD says it will prioritize illegal street racing and street takeovers, which rose last year, and improve its neighborhood watch groups to get more residents involved in reducing crime.
TAMPA, Fla. - The Tampa Police Department released its 2024 Annual Report on Friday.
"It's all about the hard work of our police officers and the community working together," Police Chief Lee Bercaw told FOX 13.
READ: Man shot & killed in neighborhood, Pasco deputies searching for suspect
The 36-page report details how officers kept pirates safe during last year's Gasparilla season and how they evacuated residents during what was a historic hurricane season.
The backstory
It gives residents an idea of where the city stands on crime.
"One big highlight on there is we kept pushing out last year is not to leave your guns in your cars. We're seeing a 25% decrease of guns being stolen from cars, which is attributing also as a factor in our reduction in violent crime, which is huge," Bercaw said.
READ:Police urge residents to remove guns from cars after spike in burglaries
Big picture view
According to the report,Tampa saw a much bigger decline in overall violent crime (8.4%)—including robbery and murder—than the average decline in other major cities (5.2%).
Bercaw added that homicides and non-fatal shootings are also down 10% and 27%, respectively.
"That's because of our cops working hard out there," Bercaw said. "And it's because of the engagement with the community. We have town hall forums."
Dig deeper
However, TPD admits the city did see a "significant rise" in illegal street racing and street takeovers last year.
Two people were arrested after a car was making donuts at the intersection of Kennedy Blvd and MacDill Ave in March 2024.
Another street takeover occurred near the Tampa Convention Center during Labor Day weekend in September 2024. An 18-year-old was arrested.
READ: Clearwater crash sends bicyclist to hospital: Police
What's next
In its annual report, Tampa police noted that new laws, which went into effect last year, introduced harsher penalties for street racing and felony charges for repeat offenders.
These types of crimes will remain a priority for TPD again this year.
"It's getting the message out that we're out here and that we're going to be in full focus on it," Bercaw said. "We're making an arrest on it. We're holding those accountable. Not only that, we're going to seize your car."
This year, Bercaw added that the department will enhance and improve its neighborhood watch groups to get more residents involved in their mission to reduce crime.
To read TPD's 2024 Annual Report, click here.
The Source
FOX 13's Ariel Plasencia collected the information in this story.
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