At the city council meeting on Wednesday, Police Chief George Crum presented data on Part 1 crimes (the most serious) in Cathedral City comparing statistics from one year ago as well as five years ago. His report showed that in 2020, Part 1 crimes were reduced by 22% compared to 2019 Part 1 crimes. Every category except aggravated assault had double digit reductions. For examples in 2019, Cathedral City had 8 homicides versus 5 homicides in 2020. That resulted in a 38% reduction. Motor vehicle thefts also reduced year-over-year by 11%, 185 in 2019 versus 165 in 2020.
When comparing crime statistics from five years ago, Cathedral City had a 50% reduction. In 2016, the city had 1,247 total Part 1 crimes reported to the U.S. Department of Justice, and in 2020, the city reported 629 Part 1 crimes. Examples of crime reductions from 2016 include 53 total robberies in 2016 versus 28 in 2020 (47% reduction) and 274 burglaries in 2016 compared to 106 in 2020 (61% reduction).
Of course, one crime is one too many. Throughout the year, our police department continues to connect with the community, offer crime prevention tips, and is resolved to finding the perpetrators who commit such egregious acts.
Cathedral City continues to be one of the safest cities in the entire Coachella Valley on a per capita basis. You can always learn more at the police department’s official website www.CathedralCityPolice.com.
