Violent crime is down in Madison, mirroring national trend

Madison saw an 8 percent decrease in violent crime last year, Police Chief Shon Barnes said.

“In 2024, we had a 40 percent decrease in homicides,” Barnes said at a Tuesday press conference. “And although no death is acceptable, it is good to see that these numbers are trending in the right direction.”

The number of reported homicides in Madison rose from 6 in 2022 to 10 in 2023, and fell again to 6 in 2024. Barnes said he believes the city can continue to drive those numbers down.

“I believe it is certainly possible in this city to have a year when no one loses their life to homicide,” Barnes said.

Cases of aggravated battery also dropped — from 600 in 2023 to 539 in 2024. Robberies, at around 100 reported incidents, were the lowest they’ve been in over 12 years, Barnes said. 

The reduction in violent crimes comes despite the school shooting in Madison in December, in which a student at Abundant Life Christian School killed two people and wounded six others.

“We’ve seen a year-over-year reduction in shots fired,” Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said. “These are not just numbers. They represent lives saved, neighborhoods stabilized and families spared from tragedy.”

Property crime was also down 12 percent citywide, Barnes reported. However, motor vehicle theft increased, from 592 in 2023 to 742 in 2024. 

“I will tell you what I’ve been saying for the last four years: Lock it or lose it,” Barnes said. “You must lock your cars. You must remove all valuables — and vehicles make horrible gun safes.”

Barnes said the department has emphasized catching patterns of crime and stopping them preemptively. They also partnered with community nonprofits to proactively stop crime, he added.

Violent crime is also trending down nationally. It decreased about 3 percent from 2022 to 2023 according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which has not yet released national data from 2024.

Barnes will leave to head the Seattle Police Department in coming weeks, after about four years as Madison’s chief. 

“We look forward to continuing that success in 2025,” said Assistant Chief John Patterson, who will serve as the interim chief after Barnes departs. “And (we) plan to remain committed to evidence-based practices, data-informed decision-making and a crime prevention and accountability model that is  demonstrating clearly positive results in our community.”