Violent crime in Downtown and Over-the-Rhine has fallen by a quarter this year compared with 2025, but the sharp decline has not reached every corner of the city. Some outer neighborhoods are reporting increases in aggravated assaults and robberies.
Homicides, robberies and aggravated assaults in Downtown and Over-the-Rhine are down nearly 30% this year compared with 2025, according to crime data reported Oct. 5. The city recorded 164 of these crimes last year compared to 115 this year.
Property crimes, including burglaries and thefts in these two neighborhoods have fallen over 20% from 1,532 incidents to 1,216.
Citywide, homicides, robberies and aggravated assaults are down about 6% and property crimes have decreased about 7.5%.
Crime and public
safety have become central political issues at City Hall, particularly after several high-profile incidents in Downtown and Over-the-Rhine that contributed to the firing on former Police Chief Teresa Theetge. Leadership in Cincinnati, from Theetge to Mayor Aftab Pureval, have been dealing not only with the crime itself, but the perception area residents have about the safety of the places they come to visit.
Police and city officials point to tactics such as expanded walking patrols and violence-prevention programs for helping reduce crime. A union leader, however, warns that the gains may be coming at the cost of increased overtime and officer burnout.
In an interview with The Enquirer, interim Police Chief Adam Hennie highlighted several tactics the department has used to push on both of these fronts:
- Technology, particularly the drone unit launched under his predecessor Theetge.
- Walking patrols. Hennie says the number of patrols have increased 250% this year.
- Communication with judges and elected officials, and streamlining processes for officers.
Hennie said expanded walking patrols have helped officers build stronger connections with residents and businesses. Patrol cars and radio communication, he said, can limit those interactions.
"The old-timers knew everyone on their beats," Hennie said. He added that academic research has shown walking patrols have a direct impact in reducing robberies.
Crime is down, but not across every neighborhood
Homicides this year are at nearly their lowest levels in the past 20 years. Over-the-Rhine has had no homicides this year, but remains one of the city's top neighborhoods for shootings with 14. Even so, that marks a significant decline from the 25 shootings recorded around the same point last year.
However, crime is not falling uniformly across the city. In three out of Cincinnati's five police districts, aggravated assaults are up. Those three districts cover the outlying neighborhoods of Cincinnati. For instance, robberies on the city's East Side, which falls under District 2, are up nearly 16% from 38 to 44.
Avondale, Clifton, Bond Hill, Roselawn, Winton Hills and seven other neighborhood sites in Police District 4. There, aggravated assaults are up over 16% from 154 to 179 as of Sept. 19. This district also includes the University of Cincinnati and Xavier University.
Some recent crime concerns have centered on the neighborhoods surrounding UC's campus.
After multiple shootings, UCPD and Cincinnati police took significant measures to address crime around campus at the beginning of this school year. This included shutting down Market Street. In a Sept. 22 press conference, Hennie said the arrest of a man accused of illegally organizing parties has contributed to slowing violence in the area.
Police overtime a major concern
Cincinnati's police union President Ken Kober said the increased patrols and mandatory overtime are wearing officers out, and the city needs to reprioritize hiring more officers.
The Enquirer reported in May that police overtime spending was expected to reach $24 million by the end of June, nearly double what was spent by taxpayers in the last fiscal year.
For years, the department has struggled to keep its numbers up. As of Sept. 26, there were 949 officers on the rolls, about 100 officers short of the total authorized by the city. The city has increased the frequency of its recruit classes and has been hiring established police officers and training them in abbreviated "lateral" classes.
Kober said the rate of hiring is not keeping up with the rate that officers are retiring and leaving. He said he believes the city is mandating overtime and restricting the days officers can take off because it's cheaper and easier than getting the department fully staffed.
"They want cops to work around the clock," he said.
He said one solution would be to allow new graduates from other academies in the area like Scarlet Oaks and Butler Tech to join lateral classes instead of making them go through the full Cincinnati Police Academy.
Late last year, a report from the city manager's office acknowledged the challenges and said recruiting is a "significant priority," but Kober said it's not enough to create a sustainable solution.
"Hire more cops," he said. "Hire them faster."
Changes to documenting rape statistics are affecting city statistics
When looking at the crime statistics the city publishes, such asthe STARS report, it appears that there has been a recent spike in rapes. However, this is due to changes in how rapes are being recorded and counted, according to Jillian Desmond, senior crime analyst for the police department.
Due to a discrepancy between Cincinnati's internal reporting process and the information submitted for external crime reporting and national statistics, some incidents are being added to the department's database based on the date the incident was entered in the system, not when the crime occurred.
"To be clear, this is a reporting and data-correction issue, not an indication that rape offenses are suddenly increasing at the rates reflected in the current year-to-date comparison," a statement from the department said.
Organizations from all over the city convene for renewed talks about reducing violence
Kait Bell is the city's new violence reduction manager. She said the city administration is trying to address the root causes of crime to prevent it from even happening.
The city's Act for Cincy initiative brings together more than a dozen programs focused on violence prevention and public safety. The programs range from sending specialists with police to domestic violence and mental health situations to bedside support for shooting victims.
On Sept. 21, the city relaunched its "learning collaborative" which is meant to bring a wide swath of organizations to the table. Bell said the range of participants was surprising. There were all the usual agencies, but also groups like 311, which acts like a customer service line for the city, and the Cincinnati Zoo.
Bell said the zoo's programs for youth and their beautification work play a role in supporting youth in the city.
She said the collaborative shows just how many people in Cincinnati care about the city in a holistic way and want to work together to make sure everyone is "rowing in the same direction."
Hennie is also focused on collaboration, he said.
"It's very easy in this profession to point the finger at other entities and say it's their fault," he told The Enquirer. "As a leader, you have to look internally. What can I do that I have control over?"
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Crime drops in Downtown, OTR, but some Cincinnati neighborhoods see increases
