Violent crime in Chattanooga’s business improvement district in 2024 was down 32% from the year before, according to a news release from the mayor’s office.
The district includes an area of downtown bound by Cherry Street and U.S. Highway 27 to the east and west, respectively. It stretches north to the Tennessee River and south to 11th Street.
There was also a 35% decrease in property crime, according to the release.
(READ MORE: ‘Credible messengers’: How a Chattanooga group works to stop violence before it happens)
The release cited annual crime data, the second time the mayor’s office has released data from this year. But the full report for 2024 has yet to be released.
The Chattanooga Police Department is still working on the full annual report, spokesperson Victor Miller said in an email.
“Recent research and reporting tells us that the perception of crime downtown has a big influence on how safe people feel in our city generally,” Mayor Tim Kelly said in the release. “I’m proud that the Chattanooga Police Department’s renewed focus on downtown and their innovative crime prevention work with groups like the 423 Chain Breakers and the Downtown Chattanooga Alliance is paying off.”
Contact Kailee Shores at kshores@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6659.