Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson gave an update Thursday on crime in the city this year and talked about ongoing efforts to reduce violent crime.
During the first three months of 2023, police recorded:
▪ Five homicides compared to 12 homicides during the first quarter of last year.
▪ A 26% increase in motor vehicle thefts from the first quarter of last year; there were 386 thefts during the first three months of this year.
▪ A total of 418 recovered stolen vehicles, compared to 388 a year prior.
▪ A total of 91 robberies of a person, the same number reported a year prior.
▪ A total of 282 aggravated assaults, a 4% increase from a year prior. Firearms were used in 118 of them, compared to 120 last year.
Firearm assaults in Raleigh
Patterson said 42% of the aggravated assaults involved firearms and that removing guns from dangerous offenders is a priority for the Police Department.
“When nearly half of all aggravated assaults involve a firearm that’s something that should concern all of us,” Patterson said.
Patterson said the ACORNS unit (Addressing Crises through Outreach, Referrals, Networking and Service) will be expanding with three additional social workers.
The department is still struggling with staffing levels, the chief said.
According to Patterson, there are still roughly 100 vacancies in the Raleigh Police Department.
Patterson took just three questions from reporters after the crime briefing before leaving and would not provide details on her budget request to the Raleigh city manager. The manager’s recommended spending plan will be presented to the City Council next week.