Homicides, auto burglaries, and other crimes fell steeply last year in San Francisco, pushing the city’s crime rate to its lowest level since 2001, Mayor London Breed announced Tuesday.
Breed, citing data from the San Francisco Police Department, said reported property crimes were down 31% from 2023, and violent crimes were down 14%.
The 35 homicides recorded last year in San Francisco were the fewest in 60 years. Auto break-ins, which skyrocketed during the pandemic, fell below 10,000 incidents for the first time in nearly 15 years, down 54% from 2023.
Breed, who leaves the mayor’s office Wednesday, credited new enforcement strategies, including expanded surveillance technology and coordinated drug market interventions. The Drug Market Agency Coordination Center, launched in 2023 to address the fentanyl crisis, led to more than 5,400 arrests.
“This shows that when we give our officers the tools and support, like we have with new technology, they can deliver incredible results,” Breed said in a statement.
The city reported 4,739 violent crimes and 30,991 property crimes in 2024. Human trafficking declined 45%, while robberies fell 22%, burglaries were down 11%, and assaults dropped by 6%, according to the mayor’s office.
Yet, the perception of out-of-control lawlessness in San Francisco was a driving force in the mayoral election that propelled political newcomer Daniel Lurie to victory. He said public safety would be his top priority and has hired Paul Yep, a former police commander, to be the city’s first public safety czar.
SFPD Chief Bill Scott praised officers for working overtime to compensate for staffing shortages. The department has also deployed new tools, including automated license plate readers and drones, to aid enforcement efforts.
“We will continue working to make San Francisco one of the safest big cities in the nation in the months and years to come,” Scott said Tuesday in a statement.
District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said her office would continue prioritizing accountability, while Sheriff Paul Miyamoto highlighted successful interagency cooperation despite resource constraints.
“Although, there is still more work to be done, the improving crime rates show that we’re moving in the right direction,” Jenkins said. “My office will continue to do everything we can to ensure the criminal justice system works in our city and there is accountability and meaningful consequences for criminal behavior.”