2025 Milwaukee crime report: Homicides on the rise, other violent crimes down
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) — The Milwaukee Police Department released a year end review Thursday of crimes committed citywide throughout 2025.
The data looks at both violent and property crime numbers.
For the second year in a row, MPD’s data shows a notable decrease in violent crimes across the board in 2025, except for human trafficking and homicide.
“These are good numbers and we’re moving in the right direction in Milwaukee, but we still have a lot of work to do," said Mayor Cavalier Johnson.
The city saw a combined decrease of 17% for what the FBI considers "Part I Crimes," which includes homicide, rape, robbery, assault, trafficking, burglary, theft, and arson.
Total violent crime decreased by 22%, and property crime dropped by 15%.
"Less people are getting their car stolen, less people are being carjacked, less people are being robbed, less people are getting injured," said Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman.
Non-fatal shootings were down 19%, but homicides are rising -- up by 8% last year, with 10 more lives lost compared to 2024.
"Impulse plus anger, plus the availability of firearms equals a deadly combination," Norman said.
Chief Norman noted shootings that are deadly are often more intimate and intentional.
Milwaukee Police Department Chief Jeffrey Norman
"Over half our homicides this year happened either in the home, a business, or vehicle. Closed situations, very interpersonal," Norman explained.
Twenty-two homicide suspects were under the age of 17 -- A 57% increase from 2024.
That same number -- 22 juveniles under 18 -- were killed.
City leaders believe ongoing violence intervention efforts helped lower the overall crime numbers, but they want everyone, especially parents, to actively be part of the solution.
"Every single person who has taken a life last year had somebody in their life that could have intervened," said Adam Procell, the director of Milwaukee's Department of Community Wellness and Safety. "Each one, reach one. We cannot do this by ourselves.”
Mayor Johnson said he wants to see work on a state and federal level to crack down on irresponsible gun owners.
City leaders also encourage families to take advantage local programs that aim to keep kids off the streets and promote deescalation efforts.
The only other crime that saw an increase in 2025 was human trafficking, with 38 instances - one more than in 2024.
Reckless driving also saw positive change. While overall crashes and hit-and-runs remained consistent year-over-year, fatal crashes decreased by 17%. Carjacking was nearly cut in half, and auto theft decreased by 21%.
Read the full MPD report below: