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DeKalb police present 2025 annual report, cite drops in violent crime and renewed focus on domestic violence

DeKalb City Council ยท March 24, 2026

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Summary

DeKalb Police Chief Byrd told the City Council the department saw declines in several crime categories from 2024 to 2025, highlighted staffing of about 75 sworn officers and urged continued community partnership to address domestic violence.

DeKalb Police Chief Byrd presented the department's 2025 annual report to the City Council on March 23, saying the department was focused on reducing crime while strengthening community ties.

"We're gonna move with purpose," Byrd said, noting the department had been roughly fully staffed at 75 sworn officers before a recent attrition. He credited partnerships with local landlords and the DeKalb County state's attorney's office for helping to hold offenders accountable.

Byrd and Deputy Chief Jason Leverton gave program and performance figures. The chief reported an 8.5% decrease in crimes against persons, an 11% decline in property crimes, a 6% drop in crimes against society and a 59% reduction in violent crime from 2024 to 2025. Confirmed shots-fired calls fell sharply from more than 100 in 2021 to 16 in 2024'2025, which Byrd described as an 84% reduction since 2021.

Leverton outlined the department's operating divisions and community-focused efforts: community support services logged 513 engagement events in 2025, the social work program connected nearly 1,700 incidents to services and records staff handled thousands of public-record requests, including FOIAs and body-camera evidence requests.

Council members praised the department's work. Mayor Cohen Barnes said constituents have noticed improvements and thanked officers for their effort. Several alderpersons reiterated the need to press on domestic-violence intervention, a priority Byrd emphasized after noting multiple domestic-related deaths in 2025.

The report also included a dedication to longtime department employee Jim Rhodes, who served the department in various capacities for more than five decades. Deputy Chief Leverton and others recognized Rhodes's family at the meeting.

The council did not take formal action on the annual report; the presentation closed with staff offering to answer follow-up questions and the council expressing support for continued investment in police-community programs.