San Francisco's post-pandemic violent crime is receding

Violent crime in San Francisco during the first six months of 2024 was down from the same period last year, according to new data.

Why it matters: The big drop is evidence that the COVID-era crime wave continues to recede.

By the numbers: The 17 homicides in San Francisco in the first six months of the year represent a 32% decrease from the same stretch last year, according to data from the Major Cities Chiefs Association , a group of police executives representing the largest cities in North America.

• That was the biggest decline among categories of violent crime, followed by robbery (17%), rape (12%) and aggravated assault (5%).

Reality check: While this data shows crime rates are dropping from last year, and falling even further from pre-pandemic levels, "there's so much to be done," Noel Sanchez, a spokesperson for the mayor's office, told Axios via email.

• Those efforts include implementing San Francisco Mayor London Breed's public safety plan , which includes working with the district attorney "to hold more people who commit crime accountable" plus fully staffing the police department within two years, Sanchez said.
• As of Aug. 1, the department had 1,845 officers , 229 officers short of its target staffing levels.

Zoom out: Some cities outside California saw a surge in homicides during the same period, most notably Portland, Oregon, which experienced a 278% rise in homicides, an Axios review found.

What's next: No matter what the numbers say, crime will continue to be a hot topic heading into November's mayoral election .

• Breed faces four key challengers: former interim Mayor Mark Farrell, anti-poverty nonprofit founder and Levi Strauss heir Daniel Lurie, and Supervisors Aaron Peskin and Ahsha Safaí.

Sign up for Axios San Francisco for free.