(The Center Square) — The Shreveport Police Department shared its year-to-date crime stats during Monday’s administrative conference which showed a significant decline in the city’s crime compared to April 2024. 

As of April 21, there have been 10 homicides this year. When looking at this time last year, the city had 23 homicides. The city had 28 in April 2023. 

“As we are experiencing a decline in our homicide rate, which means our city is much much safer, that trend continues,” said Police Chief Wayne Smith.

Year-to-date reported shootings also show a significant decline since last year. There have been 67 this year compared to 91 in 2024. Shots fired calls also showed a decrease, with 634 this year compared to 950 this time last year. Shots-fired calls include when someone has been injured and has not been injured.

“Since 2021, you can see a consistent decline that we are so thankful for,” said Smith.

Other crimes are significantly decreasing. However, there was a reported increase in sex crime cases, and Smith did not have a clear explanation for why this was occurring. 

There have been 154 reported sex crime cases this year, which is more than the same time last year, 140. 

Other reported crime stats to date this year show 319 vehicle thefts compared to 409 last year. There have been 13 reported armed robberies compared to 28 last year. The department reported 410 non-vehicle burglaries compared to 528 last year, and also 287 vehicle burglaries this year compared to 362 last year. 

According to Smith, Shreveport also leads the state of Louisiana in arrests for driving under the influence. The department reported 13 fatal crashes as of today. 

Crime has been an ongoing issue addressed by the city. Recent reports show an overall decline in all crime over the past five years, which Smith said is due to many initiatives implemented over the past few years.

Emilee Ruth Calametti serves as staff reporter for The Center Square covering the Northwestern Louisiana region. She holds her M.A. in English from Georgia State University and soon, an additional M.A. in Journalism from New York University. Emilee has bylines in DIG Magazine, Houstonia Magazine, Bookstr, inRegister, The Click News, and the Virginia Woolf Miscellany. She is a Louisiana native with over seven years of journalism experience.