Cathedral City reports 2023-2024 crime statistics; violent crime down 10% overall
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ) - The Cathedral City Police Department presented its annual crime statistics report to the City Council on Wednesday, highlighting a 10% overall reduction in violent crime in 2024.
The department says the decline in violent crime can be attributed to a strong community engagement, among other factors.
The department also noted that while many violent crime categories were down from 2023, the city did see some areas that increased.
Police Chief George Crum says the department has a commitment to public safety, and added, "While we're encouraged by these positive trends, we remain vigilant and focused on addressing the areas that still need improvement."
Areas that were down:
- Zero reported homicides or negligent manslaughters in 2024 (100% decrease)
- 43% reduction in kidnapping cases
- 27% decrease in fondling incidents
- 25% drop in intimidation cases
- 11% reduction in aggravated assault
Areas of increase:
- 20% increase in reported rapes
- Two purse-snatching incidents in 2024 compared to none in 2023
- 100% increase in statutory rape cases
While property crime in the city went down 11%, there were categories that increased:
- Arson cases more than doubled, rising from seven incidents in 2023 to fifteen in 2024. Police say that this increase may be due to the creation of an Arson Investigation Unit in 2024, which may have led to more incidents identified as arson.
- Shoplifting saw a considerable uptick, with 88 reports in 2024 compared to 45 the previous year.
The police department invites anyone interested in hosting a community meeting on or having the police department give a presentation on crime prevention, contact Deputy Rick Sanchez at rsanchez@cathedralcity.gov or call 760-202-2488.
