San Francisco has Lowest Homicide Rate in 70 Years, Declines across All Major Crime Categories in 2025 26-001
SFPD officers with partner public safety agencies getting major results
Today, Chief Derrick Lew announced that the San Francisco Police Department saw historic drops in crime in 2025, including property crime, drug activity, and most importantly, violent crime, with a homicide rate that hasn’t been seen since the 1950s.
The substantial decline in crime in every meaningful category is a direct result of the work of the officers of the SFPD, along with partner public safety agencies, who have been working diligently to deter crime and hold offenders accountable.
“Our officers have been doing a tremendous job fighting crime and keeping San Francisco safe,” Chief Lew said. “I want to thank our local, state and federal partners for working closely together on this vital mission. We’re committed to building on these successes in the new year to ensure San Francisco remains one of the safest cities in the world.”
One homicide is one too many, and reducing homicides and other violent crime remains the top priority of the SFPD.
The SFPD in 2025 has been working closer than ever with city government, including the Mayor’s Office, and our public safety partners, including the District Attorney’s and Sheriff’s Offices, to achieve these successes. The SFPD is committed to strengthening these partnerships in the months and years to come to continue driving down crime.
“These historic reductions in crime show what’s possible when we focus relentlessly on public safety and give our officers the tools to succeed,” said Mayor Daniel Lurie. “I’m grateful to the men and women of the SFPD and all of our partners who are delivering real results for San Franciscans, even while operating short-staffed. We are going to keep hiring officers and building on this progress to ensure every San Franciscan in every neighborhood feels safe every day.”
Notable 2025 crime trends include:
- A 20% decrease in homicides. With 28 homicides over the year, San Francisco had the lowest number of homicides since 1954.
- A 125% clearance rate by the SFPD’s Homicide Unit. Investigators cleared 34 homicides by making arrests or by other means.
- A 16% decrease in shootings
- A 25% decrease in crime, including an 18% decrease in violent crime and a 27% decrease in property crime.
- A 24% decrease in robberies
- A 45% decrease in robbery with firearm
- A 44% decrease in motor vehicle thefts
- A 43% decrease in car break-ins
- A 29% decrease in burglaries
- A 22% decrease in larceny including retail theft
- Officers seized 1,003 firearms
- Officers made 6,683 arrests related to drug activity
- Officers seized over 56 lbs. of fentanyl
These notable crime figures did not happen on their own.
Despite being hundreds of members short, SFPD officers at every district station and in all specialized units showed enthusiasm to make arrests and keep the community safe.
The SFPD’s Homicide Unit and other specialized units proved again to be the most elite in the nation, helping reach a clearance rate of 125% after solving several cases from previous years. (The national average for homicide clearance rates in between 50% and 60%).
The SFPD’s years-long community engagement and violence reduction efforts have helped build ties with communities across the city, leading to more trust and cooperation between law enforcement and residents than any time in recent memory.
Technology has provided SFPD officers with valuable tools to fight crime. Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR) allow officers to be more precise and quickly identify criminal vehicles. Drones can respond first to scenes, giving officers air support and visual information as they approach incidents. And the city’s growing network of public safety cameras capture video evidence of crimes and suspects’ movements, giving officers crucial information in their investigations. All this technology is integrated in the Real-Time Investigation Center, which became fully operational in December.
The SFPD’s Drug Market Agency Coordination Center (DMACC) has continued to crack down on drug-related activity across San Francisco in 2025. SFPD officers, along with other law enforcement partners, including the Sheriff’s Office, made 6,683 arrests in 2025. They include 735 arrests for drug dealing, 3,586 arrests for drug use, and 2,362 arrests for other crimes, including having outstanding warrants.
SFPD’s citywide retail theft enforcement operations in commercial corridors, along with high-visibility patrols, have deterred crime and led to key arrests, resulting in a substantial decrease in larcenies and retail thefts.
Additionally, offenders are being held accountable in the court of law, making them reconsider their actions before committing crime in San Francisco.
“Since taking office in 2022, I have made working with the San Francisco Police and other law enforcement agencies a top priority and am proud of the work that we have done together to drive crime in San Francisco to historic lows,” said District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. “In the year ahead, we will double down on our partnership and continue working to make our city safer for all residents. Working together, we have shown our residents and our state what is possible when leaders prioritize public safety over ideology and politics.”
“We are encouraged crime is down, but must remain relentless in preventing crime and strengthening our efforts into 2026,” said Sheriff Paul Miyamoto. “Residents and visitors deserve to feel protected, and that means accountability alongside meaningful support for justice-involved individuals struggling with substance use and mental health challenges that drive criminal behavior. While declining crime statistics show our strategies are working, success is ultimately measured by whether people feel welcome, safe, and confident that our businesses and communities can thrive.”