While Huntsville’s population has grown by more than 20% since 2019 to an estimated 246,000, its violent crime rate is heading in the opposite direction.

The Huntsville Police Department reported last week that its violent crime rate has dropped almost 39% during the same time span. That includes murder, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault.

City Councilman David Little said the police department “deserves a lot of credit keeping us safe.”

Violent crime reports dropped from 1,787 incidents in 2019 to just 1,092 in 2024, the department reported.

According to its annual report for 2024, police officers investigated 18 homicides, 124 rape reports, 127 robberies and 823 aggrevated assault cases last year. Officers responded to almost 175,500 calls for service.

The homicide rate has gone up and down since 2019. In 2019, there were 19 homicides. It dropped to 14 in 2020, but shot back up to 25 in 2021, but then dropped to 21 in 2022 and 19 in 2023.

“The work is never done,” Police Chief Kirk Giles said in a news release. “We’re focused on proactive policing strategies that prevent crime before it happens.”

Deputy Chief Charles Brooks said the city’s success is due to the dedication and collaboration between law enforcement, prosecutors and community organizations.

“By working together, we are able to share resources, intelligence and strategies that disrupt criminal activity and bring offenders to justice,” Brooks said.

The department also credits its crime reduction efforts to a mix of officer presence/response time, collaboration, economic environment and technology. That is a challenge for a city growing not only growing in population but in area as well. Now the nation’s 27th largest city geographically, officers now patrol an area the size of Chicago.

“The police have done an admirable job in the surface area we’re asking them to patrol,” City Council President John Meredith said during a recent town hall in west Huntsville.

He addressed concerns about the lack of a precinct headquarters for that part of town. The headquarters for the sprawling 5th district he represents is on Clinton Street.

“Knowing what I know now after interacting with the police and being shown some of the technologies that they use, you may not see a patrol car going down there, but they know what’s going on.”

Initiatives such as foot and bicycle patrols, the Citizens Police Academy and the Security Camera Share Program have strengthened relationships between officers and residents while deterring criminal activity, police officials said.

The department also utilizes advanced crime analysis tools through the North Alabama Multi-Agency Crime Center (NAMACC) to track trends and respond effectively.

“The application of technology helps our investigators find the needle in the haystack,” Deputy Chief Michael Johnson said. “We’re committed to leveraging these tools to stay ahead of crime and ensure our community’s safety.”

In addition, police officials said continual community involvement is essential to keeping the crime rate low.

“Our journey toward a safer city is ongoing,” Captain Jeff Rice, Sr. said. “We continuously adapt our strategies and work with the community to ensure every resident feels protected.”

Chief Giles said that lasting crime reduction relies on partnership with residents.

“We can’t do this alone,” he said. “When residents stay informed, report suspicious activity, and engage with their police department, we all win.”