Majority of crime down in Milwaukee so far in 2026, per MPD
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- At least three people were killed in Milwaukee since Saturday. But city leaders say, overall, homicides are down. In fact, until June 30, 2026, homicides in Milwaukee had decreased 30%, according to data provided by the Milwaukee Police Department. It's part of a trend we're seeing across nearly all crimes. As of July 7, there have been 51 homicides within the city, compared to 71 in 2025, and 67 in 2024.
Every single crime is down in the City of Milwaukee, other than theft, which is up four percent. The biggest percentage difference is from human trafficking, down 63 percent from last year. Carjackings, also down 31 percent.
Total crime throughout Milwaukee is down eight percent compared to last year, while total property crime is down seven percent.
"Today we have a message of hope. Milwaukee is making progress." -- Karin Tyler, Director of Milwaukee's Department of Community Wellness and Safety
MPD's Crime Map & Statistics
Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman touted their 98% clearance rate for homicides, though non-fatal shooting clearance rate is only 41%. He said, "people are shooting at each other over petty disagreements," encouraging people to put down their guns and talk.
In Milwaukee County, while crime is down 5.33% compared to last year, Sheriff Denita Ball stated they saw a 58.06% spike from the first quarter of 2026 to the second quarter.She called it disheartening considering "all the time and effort we put into areas of responsibility to show such a small decrease."
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson says crime reduction is due to collaboration between you, the police, the sheriff's office, community members, and the judicial branch.
In part thanks to the 98% clearance rate for homicides, the district attorney's office is charging felony cases at a high rate, according to DA Kent Lovern who said it's "the highest it's been in over 10 years in this county."
When it came to this holiday weekend, MPD recognized two of their officers were injured, one after a firework hit them, another, hit by a car. Both officers are okay. And data shows there was a 55% increase in arrests on fourth of July, compared to 2022. Mayor Johnson said a handful of "knuckleheads" are responsible for the negativity being discussed over the holiday weekend, and encourages us to think about the tens of thousands of people he said were celebrating positively.
This comes as MPD launches what they're calling "two new public-facing data tools." That includes an 'Arrest Dashboard' and a 'Calls for Service Dashboard'.
These webpages show all arrests made by Milwaukee Police from the past six months, and all calls for service from the past 60 days. Both, on a rolling basis.
Anyone can access the maps. MPD said it "remains committed to providing transparent and meaningful policing data to the community we serve."