By Ray King
Reported crime in Pine Bluff in 2024 was 9-percent lower than the 2023 figure, and murders were down almost 43 percent.
According to department figures, there were 3,378 total crimes last year or 335 fewer than the 3,713 reported in 2023.
In Chief Denise Richardson’s first full year as head of the department, violent crimes dropped 4.3 percent last year and nowhere is that figure more obvious than in the number of homicides reported.
In 2023, there were 28 murders reported, compared to 16 this year. Eight of those have been solved and the other 8 are listed as unsolved.
Looking at other violent crime numbers, reported rapes and attempted rapes dropped from 42 to 35, a 16.67 percent drop. Reported robberies went from 57 to 37, a 35.09 percent decease, aggravated assaults 391 to 369, a decline of 5.63 percent and simple assaults were down from 1,228 to 1,143, 0r 6.92 percent.
Both commercial and residential burglaries showed declines last year compared to 2023. There were 179 reported commercial burglaries in 2023 compared to 148 this year and residential burglaries fell from 216 to 211. Reported thefts stayed the same while vehicle thefts increased by 1, from 233 in 2023 to 234 last year.
The department also reported there were 7 pedestrian or vehicle fatalities last year.
In 2024, police responded to 37,816 total call
