DeKalb police present 2025 annual report: homicides fall below 100, clearance rate 76.9%

The DeKalb County Police Department presented its 2025 annual report to the IRPS committee, highlighting organizational changes, community outreach and crime trends.

The department said it upgraded its mission statement and expanded its real-time crime center to additional shifts with plans for 24/7 operations. The report noted a staffing increase in sworn officers of about 9% year-over-year and that a new academy with more than 35 recruits will start later this month.

On crime statistics, the department reported 91 homicides for the year and said detectives achieved a homicide clearance rate of 76.9%, above a stated national average of 52.3%. "Our detectives are clearing cases at a 76.9% clearance rate," the police chief said, adding that the department seeks to sustain reductions in violent and property crime. The department also reported roughly 32,000 traffic accidents and 88 traffic fatalities and told commissioners it will provide additional breakdowns (for example, pedestrian vs. other fatality types) on request.

The chief described an internal affairs-driven review process, an expansion of victim-witness advocates (from 4 to 8), and plans to grow community service aide staffing with a goal of 40 aides (about 10 per precinct). Commissioners asked follow-up questions about clearance rates, victim advocate coordination with courts, the allocation of civilian vs. sworn complaints in internal audits, and the department's prioritization of pedestrian safety near specific intersections.

The presentation was for information only; no committee vote was required.