ROANOKE, Va – Crime continues to trend downward in the City of Roanoke, according to new data released Thursday by the Roanoke Police Department.
During a second-quarter crime briefing, Police Chief Scott Booth said overall Part I crime is down 19% through June 30 compared with the same period in 2025. Violent crime declined 13%, while property crime fell 20%.
Booth said the department has now seen multiple consecutive years of declining crime and credited a combination of focused policing, community partnerships and data-driven enforcement strategies.
“I’m very proud of what we’re doing, not just as a department, but as a community coming together to reduce crime,” Booth said.
Citywide crime statistics
Among the city’s major crime categories:
- Homicides decreased 40%.
- Motor vehicle thefts dropped 44%.
- Rapes declined 38%.
- Aggravated assaults fell 9%.
- Robberies decreased 6%.
- Burglaries declined 9%.
- Larcenies dropped 18%.
The only Part I crime category to increase was arson, which rose by two incidents compared with the first half of 2025.
Booth said reducing motor vehicle theft has been one of the department’s biggest successes this year.
Captain Eric Field said investigators have placed additional emphasis on identifying repeat offenders responsible for multiple vehicle thefts.
“There has been an additional focus on making that particular offense a priority both on our investigation side and on the patrol side as well,” Field said.
Crime by area
Police also released crime statistics by city zone.
Downtown
Downtown Roanoke experienced the largest overall decline in crime.
- Total crime: down 31%
- Violent crime: down 60%
Police said every violent and property crime category decreased except robbery, which increased from zero incidents last year to one this year. Five of the nine Part I crime categories recorded no incidents downtown during the first six months of the year.
Southeast (Zone 1)
- Overall crime: down 26%
- Motor vehicle theft: down 49%
- Burglaries: down 56%
Every violent crime category declined except robbery, which increased from six incidents to eight. Arson also increased from three to four incidents.
Northeast (Zone 2)
- Overall crime: down 14%
- Motor vehicle theft: down 49%
- Arson: down 75%
- Larceny: down 14% (74 fewer incidents)
Violent crime increased slightly, rising from 40 incidents to 44 during the same time period.
Southwest (Zone 3)
- Overall crime: down 18%
- Rape: down 67%
- Robbery: down 50%
- Larceny: down 24%
- Aggravated assault: down 24%
Motor vehicle theft increased slightly, from 26 to 28 incidents, while burglaries rose by one incident.
Northwest (Zone 4)
- Overall crime: down 14%
- Violent crime: down 23%
- Homicides: down 71%
- Motor vehicle theft: down 53%
- Rape: down 57%
- Aggravated assault: down 22%
Booth noted northwest Roanoke has historically experienced higher levels of gun violence, making the decline particularly significant.
New initiatives
Police also highlighted several new initiatives aimed at preventing crime and supporting victims.
The department launched a statewide Lethality Assessment Program on June 1. Lieutenant William Drake said the evidence-based program helps officers identify victims at high risk in cases involving intimate partner violence and immediately connect them with local support services.
Officials also announced Roanoke has regained its designation as a Certified Crime Prevention Community, a recognition awarded by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services after the city lost the certification in 2023.
In addition, the department expects a new Youth and Gang Coordinator to begin work in the coming weeks. Booth said the position, now housed within the police department, will focus on youth intervention and violence prevention.
Traffic fatalities decline
Police also reported improvements on the roadways.
Captain Chris Ramey said traffic fatalities have dropped from nine at this point in 2025 to four this year. He credited expanded traffic enforcement staffing and partnerships with Virginia State Police for the improvement.
Questions about Flock and Raven technology
Much of the question-and-answer session focused on the department’s use of Flock license plate reader cameras and the city’s failed Raven gunshot detection project.
Booth defended Flock cameras as an important investigative tool while acknowledging concerns about privacy and government surveillance.
“We’ve had quite a few successes, and we’ve saved some lives with that,” Booth said. “But I understand that there’s a lot of mistrust in government right now, and we just really have to keep that balance.”
Drake said officers may only access the system when there is a legitimate investigative reason.
“There has to be an actual legal reason, a criminal investigation, a missing person, for us to be able to access that system,” he said.
Booth was also asked about the city’s failed Raven gunshot detection rollout. He said the mistakes that led to the project’s cancellation occurred outside the police department but acknowledged the controversy affected public trust.
“Embarrassed. That’s certainly how I feel,” Booth said. He added that he was disappointed the department never had the opportunity to evaluate the technology because “anything that can save lives would be a great thing for us.”
Despite the declines in crime, Booth said the department has no plans to ease its efforts.
“It’s really staying focused on what is working for our community,” he said. “I think we have a few things that are working now.”