John Whitmire promised a better Houston. Instead, we are getting a Houston with more violent crime and more death for people who ride bikes or walk.
The news report clearly indicated that Mayor Whitmire is creating a more dangerous city for its residents when it comes to biking and walking. However, in his first year as mayor, violent crime also increased.
Violent crime in Houston increased in 2024 but remains lower than 2020, preliminary data show
Violent crime in Houston increased in 2024 after a multiyear decline, according to information released by the Houston Police Department.
The Houston Police Department received reports of nearly 27,000 violent crimes in 2024, a more than 4% increase from 2023, according to preliminary data released Tuesday. The year-to-year spike interrupted a steady decline in violent crime since 2020, when there were more than 30,000 reported incidents.
The violent crime categories include murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, kidnapping and human trafficking. Much of the increase was driven by the assault category, in which there was a 9% spike from less than 17,000 incidents in 2023 to more than 18,000 in 2024…rapes and human trafficking cases increased.
I guess John Whitmire’s idea of a better Houston is more death and injuries to its residents.