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Fayetteville police chief reports overall crime down 13% in second quarter; ShotSpotter data highlighted
Summary
Chief Bryant presented the Fayetteville Police Department—s second-quarter report, citing a 13% drop in overall crime and a 92% homicide clearance rate; council voted to receive the report.
Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin and the City Council received the Fayetteville Police Department—s 2025 second-quarter report on Monday, in which newly appointed Chief Willie Bryant said overall reported crime in the city had declined compared with the same period in 2024.
Chief Bryant told the council the city recorded 1,205 fewer incidents in the first half of 2025 than in 2024, an overall reduction of about 13 percent. "These numbers are not just figures on a presentation. They represent real efforts, real progress, and areas where we need to continue to improve," Bryant said.
Why it matters: Bryant said he intends to use the department—s data to guide strategy and to strengthen partnerships across city, state and federal agencies. The report covered major categories including violent crime, property crime, traffic enforcement and juvenile offenses, and included an update on technology and interagency work.
Key details from the report: - Violent crime: The department reported 27 homicide victims through June; Bryant said roughly 30 percent of those cases were domestic-related. He reported a homicide clearance rate of 92 percent for the period, well above the cited national average of about 58 percent. - Overall crime: Bryant reported a 13% decline in total incidents compared with 2024, a decrease of about 1,205 incidents. - Arrests and traffic enforcement: Arrests were up slightly and traffic stops increased by roughly 9% as part of an emphasis on reducing reckless driving. The report showed an increase in nonmoving regulatory stops as well. - Narcotics: The department noted an increase in fentanyl and heroin enforcement even as arrests for cocaine and meth fell. Bryant described fentanyl as a federal and local enforcement priority owing to its lethality. - ShotSpotter: The police presented quarter-level ShotSpotter metrics: 250 ShotSpotter alerts, about 850 rounds detected by sensors, 239 shell casings recovered, two victims located through alerts, eight recovered weapons and nine arrests tied to ShotSpotter alerts for the quarter. Bryant and council members repeatedly noted the system covers only a small portion of the city but can provide investigatory leads.
Council action and context: Councilmember Ramon Benavente moved to receive the report; the motion was seconded and carried. Several councilmembers pressed the chief on racial disparities in stops and searches and asked for his 30/60/90-day plan; Chief Bryant said he would present further operational plans and that existing and new technology investments (including cameras and a proposed drone-as-first-responder pilot) are part of an expanded strategy.
What council members asked for: Councilmembers asked for follow-up data in future quarters (for example, the effect of new youth curfew efforts), more detail on juvenile crime trends and an accounting of how ShotSpotter alerts correlate with corroborating 911 calls.
Ending: The department will return with subsequent quarter reports. Council indicated interest in more granular ShotSpotter and juvenile-crime trend data in future updates.
