Homicides down in Cedar Rapids in 2024

CEDAR RAPIDS — All six of the categories — including homicides — measured by a Cedar Rapids crime statistics initiative have decreased so far this year from previous years, according to a report.

The data is part of a new effort to publish monthly updates on statistics in six areas the Cedar Rapids Police Department believes offer “the best picture of where the city stands with regard to crime,” according to a news release. Those areas are the categories of homicide, aggravated assault, burglary, theft from vehicle, theft of vehicle and shots fired.

The first monthly update was published on the department’s Facebook page at the beginning of November, with data up through the end of October. A new report issued this week shows data through the end of November.

There has been one homicide in Cedar Rapids during 2024 through the end of November, down from eight by this time last year. There were 291 aggravated assaults, down from 342 during the first 11 months of 2023. Theft from vehicle has dropped from 574 in 2023 to 449 so far in 2024. Theft of vehicle dropped from 335 to 264. And shots-fired incidents decreased from 76 to 46.

Cedar Rapids 2024 crime statistics through November

All of 2024’s data points are lower than the five-year averages for the same time period.

The release also gave updates on other crimes not included in the data set, stating that the department has continued to see cases of possession of a firearm by those ineligible — usually because of drug possession or intoxication — and cases of shoplifting. The report does not provide numbers of those cases.

“We are finding some success in identifying and making arrests of shoplifters with businesses who install high-quality camera systems, and those with vigilant staff who can alert CRPD staff in time to intervene,” the release states.

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