Overall Crime Down 13%, Cheyenne Police Say

Cheyenne police released mid-year crime data on Wednesday, showing that while crimes against society saw an increase, overall crime is trending down.

According to data collected between Jan. 1 and June 30, crimes against property decreased 18%, crimes against people decreased 8%, crimes against society increased 7%, and overall crime decreased 13% compared to the same period last year.

Crimes Against Property:

Incidents of burglary/breaking and entering in the city decreased in 2022. At 108 incidents, the category was reduced by nearly half when compared to 208 incidents in 2021.
Theft of motor vehicle parts decreased 48% – this category includes catalytic converter theft from vehicles. At 89 incidents in 2022, it is down from 172 from the same time frame last year.
Incidents of motor vehicle theft decreased 35%.
A category including property damage and destruction, as well as vandalism, also saw a 26% decrease, from 407 incidents in 2021 to 303 in 2022.
Most categories related to larceny/theft also saw a decrease in 2022.
An increase in fraud cases was recorded during 2022. Counterfeiting and forgery have increased 82% from 22 incidents in 2021 to 40 incidents this year. Credit card fraud and ATM fraud have also increased 39%.

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Crimes Against People:

Violent crime rates in Cheyenne remain low. Aggravated assaults decreased 38% from 68 incidents in 2021 to 42 in 2022. Intimidation and simple assault offenses also slightly decreased.
The number of homicides was also reduced, there were 4 recorded in 2021 and 0 in 2022.

Crimes Against Society:

Drug and narcotic violations increased 9% from 290 incidents in 2021 to 317 in 2022 while weapon law violations decreased 14% from 22 incidents in 2021 to 19 in 2022.

Chief Mark Francisco attributes the overall decrease to improvements within the criminal justice system following COVID-19, a proactive policing strategy, and a culture of public support for law enforcement.

"Public safety is a team effort, and we cannot achieve these improvements without the hard work of partnering agencies, community stakeholders, elected officials, and our residents," said Francisco.

"There is still a significant portion of the year that remains, but I am proud of the tremendous police work that has been done thus far and am confident this positive progress will continue," he added.

To view the data, visit: https://www.cheyennepd.org/2022-Mid-Year-Data