By Mark Rice
Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, Ga.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus Police Department has reported a significant overall reduction in the most serious crimes this year compared to last year.
Comparing the period from Jan. 1 to Dec. 2 in 2024 to the same period in 2025, the number of Part 1 crimes in Columbus decreased by 14.5%, from 7,046 to 6,024, according to CPD data.
Part 1 crimes listed by CPD are murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny and theft by taking a motor vehicle. The number of Part 1 crimes in Columbus decreased in six of the seven categories. The steepest decline was in aggravated assault.
Rape is the only category with an increase in Columbus.
Here are the category statistics:
- Murder decreased by 15.6%, from 32 to 27.
- Rape increased by 15.2%, from 33 to 38.
- Aggravated assault decreased by 45.9%, from 727 to 393.
- Burglary decreased by 34.1%, from 659 to 434.
- Larceny decreased by 6.6%, from 4,831 to 4,514.
- Theft by taking a motor vehicle decreased by 16.9%, from 591 to 491.
“These numbers reflect steady work by officers across every division of the department, and ongoing cooperation between CPD and the community,” the department said in a news release. “… As the holiday season typically brings more activity and, at times, more crime, CPD has increased patrol presence and activated specialized details in areas where crime data points to a greater need for focused enforcement.
“These efforts are aimed at keeping pressure on offenders and strengthening safety in neighborhoods during one of the busiest times of the year.”
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© 2025 the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer (Columbus, Ga.). Visit www.ledger-enquirer.com.
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