SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio police announced its 2024 breakdown of crime statistics around the city on Tuesday.
SAPD Chief William McManus presented the data to City Council’s Public Safety Committee. During the meeting, McManus described the FBI-sponsored National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) method SAPD uses to report on crime.
The NIBRS method classifies crimes into two groups: Group A and Group B.
SAPD considers Group A crimes (crimes against persons, crimes against society and crimes against property) as more serious crimes. Offenses such as trespassing, disorderly conduct and driving under the influence would fall under the Group B crime category.
According to the department’s 2024 statistics, violent crimes against people in San Antonio were down 2.4% in 2024 (33,296 reported crimes) compared to 2023 (34,102 reported crimes).
The 2024 figure also signals a continuing downward trend in the Alamo City. The 33,296 violent crimes is a 10.5% drop from the number SAPD reported in 2022 (37,214).
In all, crime in San Antonio was down 5.9% in 2024 (152,475 Group A offenses) compared to 2023 (162,022 Group A offenses). Last year’s report is also 2.3% lower than 2022’s crime report (156,031 Group A crimes).
Here are five more crime statistics of note from SAPD’s report.
Homicide figures fall to pre-pandemic levels
San Antonio police reported 127 homicides in 2024, which is the lowest number of killings in a non-pandemic year since 2019.
According to a 2021 KSAT analysis, SAPD reported 105 homicides in 2019. After 130 homicides and 160 homicides were reported in 2020 and 2021, respectively, the department recorded 231 homicides in 2022. The 2022 number was the highest number of killings in San Antonio since at least the mid-1990s.
However, San Antonio police said initiatives such as the Violent Crime Reduction Plan and TX Anti-Gang contributed to lower homicide figures in 2023 (164 homicides) and in 2024.
Vandalism offenses on the rise
During an October 2024 Public Safety Committee meeting, McManus notified the committee that vandalism offenses have continued to climb. That upward trend remained to close out 2024.
While overall crimes against property are down 7.7% from 2023 to 2024, San Antonio police reported a surge in vandalism offenses (23,446 reported crimes) in 2024. The 23,446 offenses represent a 26% increase from 2023 (18,607).
During the public meeting, McManus said offenses like vandalism are classified as criminal mischief and are not in the Texas penal code.
“I would say that the strategies that we use to reduce crime include a combination of enforcement and working with the community,“ McManus said at the Tuesday meeting. ”And together, these strategies, we think, help us work better with the community in reducing crime and reducing the fear of crime."
Trendy 2023 crime makes a U-turn
When SAPD reported a rise in overall crime in 2023, much of the spike can be attributed to the nearly 20,000 reported car thefts alone that year (19,409).
In 2024, only 12,668 motor vehicle thefts were reported in San Antonio, which represented a steep 34.7% drop from 2023 to 2024.
The 12,668 car vehicle thefts in 2024 are more akin to SAPD’s 2022 reported figure (12,551).
Increase in animal cruelty cases
Earlier this year, Animal Care Services welcomed Jonathan Gary, its newest director, into the fold. Gary was ushered into his new role before SAPD reported a jump in animal cruelty cases in 2024.
According to the department, 122 animal cruelty cases were reported across the city in 2024. The 122 cases represent a 9.9% leap from 2023 (111 cases).
When Gary spoke with reporters in January, he acknowledged ACS' previous issues, but he did not hold back when he discussed dog bites and maulings.
“It really falls back on the owners being responsible,” Gary said in January. “Nothing that happens here is the fault of our staff.”
Drug crimes continue steady climb
Offenses such as animal cruelty and drug cases fall under SAPD’s crimes against society subcategory.
According to the department, crimes against society was the only subcategory that had an overall increase from 2023 to 2024 (1.5%).
SAPD attributed much of the increase to drug/narcotics offenses. More than 10,000 drug offenses were reported in 2024 (10,001), a 6.2% increase from 2023 (9,418).
Last year’s figure is also a 7.1% increase from the figure San Antonio police reported in 2022 (9,294).
Below are SAPD’s 2024 complete crime figures.
Crime Stats (2) by nkotisso on Scribd
More previous San Antonio crime statistics coverage on KSAT: