Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Fresno Police Say Major Crimes Dropped Significantly in 2023
By admin
Published 1 year ago on
December 31, 2023

Share

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Continuing the trend of fewer violent crime incidents and traffic fatalities is among Fresno Police Chief Paco Balderrama’s New Year’s resolutions for 2024.

Balderrama presented end-of-2023 crime statistics at a news conference at police headquarters on Friday. Major crime is down, including homicides, rapes, and property crimes.

“People will never see and never know the sacrifice that my police officers make every single day. They risk their lives to keep this community safe. So … it makes me proud,” Balderrama said.

Police respond to more than 1,000 calls a day, he said.

Homicides were down 43% in 2023 compared to the previous year. Balderrama highlighted that 2023 had a 100% homicide investigation clearance rate, meaning that all cases were investigated and presented to the district attorney’s office for prosecution.

“When your clearance goes up, justice is being executed. There is no need for a retaliation shooting. And it really helps us all the way across,” Balderrama said. “We are being consistent in our work and we are holding people accountable.”

(Fresno Police Department)

Shootings are also down, allowing officers to respond to other aspects of law enforcement. Balderrama said one shooting could tie up 12 police officers for up to three hours each.

Rapes are down 19%; robberies down 8%; commercial burglaries are down 44%; and residential burglaries are down 25%.

Hiring is also up. By the end of  2023, Fresno had 859 police officers on duty. In a few weeks, 14 more will join the ranks. A state grant will add 25 more officers to combat organized retail theft.

“The number of shootings go down, you see the number of cops go up. It has a positive effect throughout because most of our major crime categories have been decreased,” Balderrama said.

(Fresno Police Dept.)

Domestic Violence Up

Balderrama said domestic violence calls are up 15%. Police handle 916 new cases each month.

“Every crime is a high priority to me, especially domestic abuse. And I can say that to me, domestic violence … as a chief it’s one of the most frustrating crimes because these are acts of violence that happen inside the home. Clearly, I don’t have enough police officers to put one in every house to make sure everybody behaves right and a lot of these crimes go underreported,” he said.

The city recently settled a $500,000 lawsuit that alleged the department did not do enough for two domestic violence victims in 2014. Current Mayor Jerry Dyer was chief at the time.

Balderrama said he has hired more detectives for the domestic violence unit and added a supervisor. More staff are expected in the new year. The department also partners with the Marjaree Mason Center to provide data.

“We do a full assessment, a threat assessment of what the level of risk is to that domestic violence victim. I started on this over a year ago. Nothing to do with any settlement, which I had no idea about. These are things that you do because they’re the right thing to do and they’re going to make our community safe,” Balderrama said.

Fresno Police Chief Paco Balderrama said he has taken steps to combat domestic violence. (GV Wire/David Taub)

Advance Peace Praised, Budget Justified

Mayor Jerry Dyer praised community groups for helping with violent crime reduction, including Advance Peace — the group that was once maligned for the perception that it was rewarding criminals to obey the law.

Dyer says they are out there “intervening” and preventing retaliation after shootings occur.

The mayor also defended the department’s budget of $244 million, which is half (50.5%) of the general fund.

“I hear oftentimes about the large percentage of general fund (dollars that are) spent on public safety, specifically on police. And it is true, but I don’t see it as an expense. I see it as an investment whenever we invest in the police department. I see a return,” Dyer said.

Labor Peace

City officials also touted its positive relationship with the police union.

“We have a great working relationship with our union. We don’t have to agree on everything. But I can tell you there’s other communities who are completely hamstrung through their relationship with the union,” Balderrama said.

The three-year contract with the Fresno Police Officers’ Association expires in June.

FPOA president, Sgt. Brandon Wiemiller, expects a fair negotiation.

“As we go around the state and meet with other association leaders, they’re a bit taken aback and ultimately envious of the working relationship we have here in Fresno with the mayor, with the city manager, with the chief,” Wiemiller said.

Dyer said negotiations will start in March or April.

“We will be successful, I promise you,” Dyer said.

FPOA President Sgt. Brandon Wiemiller expects successful labor negotiations in 2024. (GV Wire/David Taub)

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

Senate Confirms Mehmet Oz to Take Lead of Medicare and Medicaid Agency

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Pence Will Receive the Profile in Courage Award From the JFK Library for His Actions on Jan. 6

DON'T MISS

Politics Turns Ugly for a Conservative Running for Fresno State Student Body President

DON'T MISS

Pentagon’s Watchdog to Review Hegseth’s Use of Signal App to Convey Plans for Houthi Strike

DON'T MISS

President Trump’s Tariffs Could Be the Political Tipping Point

DON'T MISS

Order That Kept Water in the Kern River Reversed by 5th District Court of Appeal

DON'T MISS

As Dem Candidates for Governor Increase, They Wait for Harris to Decide

DON'T MISS

No More Calling ‘Shotgun?’ CA Could Ban Teens From Riding in Front Seat

DON'T MISS

Protests Planned All Over the World Aimed at Donald Trump and Elon Musk

UP NEXT

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

UP NEXT

Politics Turns Ugly for a Conservative Running for Fresno State Student Body President

UP NEXT

Pentagon’s Watchdog to Review Hegseth’s Use of Signal App to Convey Plans for Houthi Strike

UP NEXT

President Trump’s Tariffs Could Be the Political Tipping Point

UP NEXT

Order That Kept Water in the Kern River Reversed by 5th District Court of Appeal

UP NEXT

As Dem Candidates for Governor Increase, They Wait for Harris to Decide

UP NEXT

No More Calling ‘Shotgun?’ CA Could Ban Teens From Riding in Front Seat

UP NEXT

Protests Planned All Over the World Aimed at Donald Trump and Elon Musk

UP NEXT

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Christopher Robert Sharkey

UP NEXT

Fresno Man Arrested in Armed Robbery After Search Warrant Executed

Politics Turns Ugly for a Conservative Running for Fresno State Student Body President

2 hours ago

Pentagon’s Watchdog to Review Hegseth’s Use of Signal App to Convey Plans for Houthi Strike

2 hours ago

President Trump’s Tariffs Could Be the Political Tipping Point

4 hours ago

Order That Kept Water in the Kern River Reversed by 5th District Court of Appeal

4 hours ago

As Dem Candidates for Governor Increase, They Wait for Harris to Decide

4 hours ago

No More Calling ‘Shotgun?’ CA Could Ban Teens From Riding in Front Seat

4 hours ago

Protests Planned All Over the World Aimed at Donald Trump and Elon Musk

4 hours ago

Average US Rate on a 30-Year Mortgage Dips to 6.64% for the Second Drop in 2 Weeks

4 hours ago

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Christopher Robert Sharkey

4 hours ago

Fresno Man Arrested in Armed Robbery After Search Warrant Executed

5 hours ago

Senate Confirms Mehmet Oz to Take Lead of Medicare and Medicaid Agency

WASHINGTON — Former heart surgeon and TV pitchman Dr. Mehmet Oz was confirmed Thursday to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service...

26 minutes ago

Dr. Mehmet Oz, President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, seated right, gives a thumbs-up alongside his wife Lisa Oz, seated left, with friends and family after he testified at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP/Ben Curtis)
26 minutes ago

Senate Confirms Mehmet Oz to Take Lead of Medicare and Medicaid Agency

2 hours ago

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

Vice President Mike Pence hands the electoral certificate from the state of Arizona to Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., as he presides over a joint session of Congress as it convenes to count the Electoral College votes cast in November's election, at the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 6, 2021. (AP File)
2 hours ago

Pence Will Receive the Profile in Courage Award From the JFK Library for His Actions on Jan. 6

2 hours ago

Politics Turns Ugly for a Conservative Running for Fresno State Student Body President

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth attends a joint news conference with Japan's Defense Minister Gen Nakatani at the Ministry of Defense in Tokyo Sunday, March 30, 2025. (Kiyoshi Ota/Pool Photo via AP)
2 hours ago

Pentagon’s Watchdog to Review Hegseth’s Use of Signal App to Convey Plans for Houthi Strike

President Donald Trump holds a signed executive order during an event to announce new tariffs in the Rose Garden of the White House, Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Washington. (AP/Evan Vucci)
4 hours ago

President Trump’s Tariffs Could Be the Political Tipping Point

4 hours ago

Order That Kept Water in the Kern River Reversed by 5th District Court of Appeal

4 hours ago

As Dem Candidates for Governor Increase, They Wait for Harris to Decide

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend