Looking at Raleigh crime during Police Chief Estella Patterson's tenure
SMITHFIELD POLICE OFFER
ENHANCED TRAINING TO PROVIDE
OTHER OPTIONS FOR OFFICERS ARE
BRIGHT AFTER 3 YEARS AT THE
HELM. A BIT OF A SURPRISE OR
RALEIGH POLICE CHIEF.
>> STILL A PATTERSON AND NOW
SHE WILL BE RETIRING IN MARCH.
NEW TODAY, WRAL DATA TRACKERS
TOOK A LOOK AT SOME OF THE
CRIME RATES IN THE MAJOR CRIME
SOLVING. NOW THINGS HAVE
CHANGED DURING CHIEF
PATTERSON'S TIME WITH THE CITY
AND WRAL NEWS. PLUS, ANCHOR
GRACE HOLLAND BRACES NUMBERS
DOWN FOR STRIKES.
>> THEN AFTER 25 YEARS WITH
THE CHARLOTTE MECKLENBURG
POLICE DEPARTMENT IN A LITTLE
OVER 3 AND A HALF YEARS WITH
RALEIGH CHIEF ESTELLA PATTERSON
WILL RETIRE ON MARCH FIRST IN
THEIR ANNOUNCEMENT, THE CITY
TOUTED THE FACT SHE'S REDUCED
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S
VACANCIES FROM ONE 50 DOWN TO
60 SINCE SHE STARTED AND THAT
ALL HOMICIDES IN RALEIGH SO FAR
THIS YEAR HAVE BEEN SOLVED.
HOMICIDES ARE ALSO DOWN THIS
YEAR OVER THE SAME TIME IN
2023. BUT OUR WRAL DATA
TRACKERS WANTED TO TAKE A
DEEPER LOOK AT RALEIGH'S CLOT.
CRIME STATS OVER TIME. THEY
FOUND THAT BOTH CRIMES AGAINST
PEOPLE AND PROPERTY CRIMES ARE
AT THEIR HIGHEST IN THE FIRST
11 MONTHS OF THIS YEAR. BUT NOT
BY MUCH. THIS GRAPH SHOWS THAT
FOR EVERY 1000 RALEIGH
RESIDENTS, THERE HAVE BEEN
ABOUT 15.5 CRIMES AGAINST
PEOPLE WHICH INCLUDES THINGS
LIKE ASSAULT, RAPE OR MURDER.
THAT'S UP ABOUT 5% FROM LAST
YEAR AND 18% HIGHER THAN THE
YEAR BEFORE SHE WAS IN CHARGE
AND 2020. THIS NEXT GRAPH SHOWS
PROPERTY CRIMES RATES ARE ALSO
AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH. BUT AGAIN,
NOT BY MUCH. THOSE INCLUDE
THINGS LIKE THEFT OR VANDALISM
UP 6% FROM LAST YEAR. AND AT UP
32% FROM 2020, THE CITY OF
RALEIGH POINTS OUT PATTERSON'S
OTHER SUCCESSES INCLUDE
INTRODUCTION OF THE CIVILIAN
CRASH. INVESTIGATORS IN
CREATION OF THE GREENWAY UNIT
WHERE OFFICERS PATROL THE
TRAILS THAT RUN THROUGH THE
CITY. MAYOR JANET CAL SAYS THE