Raleigh police chief says violent crime flat, property crime down 8%; outlines summer action plan

Raleigh Police Chief Rico Boyce told the Raleigh City Council at a work session that, year to date, violent crime is flat compared with 2024 while overall property crime has fallen 8%, and he outlined a summer action plan and several permanent operational changes to sustain the trend.

Boyce said the department is making personnel and program changes tied to five priorities he issued upon taking the job: employee development and wellness, community engagement, crime reduction strategies, operational efficiency and accountability.

"I am pleased to report that overall crime in Raleigh is currently trending downward compared to the same period in 2024," Boyce said. He added that the department will publish quarterly crime statistics for media and the public and announced a summer action plan running June 1 through Aug. 31 that uses intelligence-led deployment to target nightclubs and events spaces, transportation hubs, public parks and greenways, and hospitality and nightlife corridors.

The chief gave specific counts and trends: the city recorded 15 homicides last year and the same number year to date in 2025; two of this year's cases are related to an officer-involved shooting on Democracy Street, and 14 of the homicide cases he discussed had been cleared by arrest. Robberies increased 19% (185 incidents versus 155 in the comparable period last year), robberies from persons rose 14% and robberies from businesses rose 20%. Aggravated assaults are down 7% overall and assaults involving firearms are down 14%; child-abuse cases are down 31%. Motor-vehicle thefts declined 16% (793 vehicles stolen year to date versus 946 last year) with 676 recoveries, contributing to the 8% drop in property crimes.

To address theft and violent crime, Boyce said the department is making structural changes: the auto-theft task force formed in 2024 is now a permanent unit in the detective division (led by one sergeant, two officers and two detectives); a hospitality district commander and two hospitality squads will focus on downtown zones including Glenwood South, Fayetteville Street, the Transit Mall and Moore Square; two transit units and a new bicycle unit equipped with electric "recon" bikes will patrol the central business district; and some school resource officers will be reassigned to a greenway unit during the summer to patrol parks and greenways, including coverage planned for Gibson Play Plaza.

Boyce described a Department of Justice Public Safety Partnership (PSP) grant awarded in 2024 that funds a three-year collaboration to produce a crime-analysis assessment, a nonfatal-shooting assessment and a technology assessment. He said PSP assessors recommended 19 measures; the department had already completed 15 of them when the assessment team arrived. The PSP effort also includes plans for a nonfatal shooting/retaliatory-shooting risk assessment and exploration of a community-violence-interrupter program modeled on peer cities, including a visit and collaboration with Tucson, Ariz.

On community engagement, Boyce emphasized "Cops on the Block," citywide outreach events where officers meet residents outside enforcement contexts; youth programming including free summer camps, a girls' IBM STEM camp, sports camps and a public-safety cadet program; and National Night Out on Aug. 5. He credited partnerships with WakeMed, the Wake County District Attorney's Office, federal prosecutors and the Raleigh Police Department Foundation, which purchased a horse for the mounted unit currently in training in Texas.

Council members asked for additional data and follow-up. Councilor Silva and others sought clarification on robbery hot spots; Boyce said robberies are occurring citywide but are concentrated at late-night commercial establishments such as convenience stores and sweepstakes locations. Several councilors requested heat maps and year-over-year trend data, and asked for statistics on greenway activity as the city expands trails. Councilor Branch, Councilor Jones and Councilor Papp expressed support for expanding community engagement and citizen education, and several council members recommended reviving a citizens' police academy.

On alternative-response programs, Boyce described the ACORNS crisis-intervention unit (two social-worker vacancies on the officer side to be filled as recruits finish training) and said he wants to expand non-police response teams and partner with the CARES call-diversion unit. He told the council he would like to add an incentive tied to physical fitness—citing a POPAT-like model used in other jurisdictions—if the city elects to fund such a program.

Concerning demonstrations, Boyce said the department's priority is to allow peaceful protest and to keep gatherings safe, asking for voluntary compliance from participants while remaining prepared for enforcement if required. The city manager said the council will receive a follow-up item on these topics at the next meeting.

Ending: The chief concluded by thanking officers, interagency partners and community organizations for the downward crime trends and said the department is actively recruiting for paid summer interns and an academy class starting in September; he invited council members and residents to upcoming community events and said the department will continue publishing quarterly crime reports.