The Knoxville Police Department has released the preliminary 2022 high-priority crime data.

Based on the unofficial data, which will be audited by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation as is standard for all Tennessee law enforcement agencies, murders dropped from 41 in 2021 to 35 in 2022, a 15 percent reduction. The total for 2022 includes one case that has not officially been ruled a murder but is likely to pending the completion of the Medical Examiner report.

“We are still not where we want to be, but I am pleased to see the murder total trending in the right direction,” Chief Paul Noel said. “The reduction of violent crime is our top priority, and there is cause for optimism heading into 2023. We will continue to devote our resources towards violent crime mitigation and invest in violent reduction partnerships and strategies.”

In other violent crime categories, the number of non-fatal shooting victims matched the 2021 total exactly at 78, while robberies dropped nine percent from 2021 to 2022.

Notably, there was a three-percent drop citywide in property crimes. That includes a 21-percent drop in motor vehicle thefts, a six-percent drop in burglaries or breaking and entering reports, and a five-percent drop in vehicle burglaries.

“Fighting crime is job number one, and I am proud of our officers, investigators and leadership team for their hard work to close out the year,” Noel said. “There is still a lot of work that needs to be done, but I feel confident that we are moving in the right direction and well positioned to make Knoxville safer.”

The complete year-end summary can be found here.