MILWAUKEE — According to recently released data from the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD), Milwaukee experienced a 39% drop in homicides from 2022 to 2024.

In 2022, the City of Milwaukee recorded a staggering 215 murders. In 2023, the city had 172 murders. In 2024, that number fell to 132 – the lowest the city has seen in five years. 

Between 2023 and 2024, the city saw a 23% decrease in homicides. 

MPD Chief Jeffrey Norman said that while the decline signaled progress, there is still much work to do.

“Yes, we had double-digit reductions, but it could be even more,” Norman said during a press conference Tuesday afternoon. “Many of those homicides involved kids with handguns, tragically using them against each other. It’s preventable and absolutely unacceptable.”

Despite the promising decline in homicides, other crime categories, including carjackings, auto thefts and robberies, saw increases compared to 2023.

Norman acknowledged the complexity of addressing these trends, noting that the department’s ability to respond is hindered by a staffing shortage.

Another issue dominating the public safety conversation is the role of school resource officers in Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS). Norman stated that discussions with school leaders are ongoing, but Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson expressed frustration with the financial burden falling on taxpayers.

“When you go to a restaurant and order a meal, the chef doesn’t prepare the meal and then pay the bill,” Johnson said. “That’s essentially what we’re being asked to do, and I think it’s wrong for taxpayers and the City of Milwaukee. We will continue working with MPS leadership to get this sorted out.”

Police staffing remains another critical challenge, according to the department. MPD fell short of its recruitment goals in 2024. Under a newly enacted state law, Milwaukee’s state funding is now tied to the city growing its police force over the next decade.