Kalamazoo public safety chief reports historic drops in 2025 crime, touts cameras and new ordinance to curb mobile nuisance parties

Chief David Wiesen of Kalamazoo Public Safety reported historic declines in both violent and property crime for 2025 and detailed a suite of technological and policy tools city officials say are helping drive the trend.

"We're at 10‑year lows in violent crime and property crime," Wiesen said during the Citizens Public Safety Review and Appeal Board meeting on Jan. 13. He said the department has seen steady decreases, particularly over the last five years, and that investigators solved six of seven homicides from 2025.

Wiesen credited a combination of targeted enforcement, community partnerships and technology. He described a pilot program that placed cameras at intersections in the Downtown and North Side business districts and said the department added 19 additional license‑plate reader locations and expanded access to business security cameras through a public‑private integrated system (referred to in the presentation as FUSIS). "License…