The DPD figures, the most up-to-date available, compare data from the first eleven months of 2019, January through November, to the same period in 2018. We've focused on the most violent offenses — homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault — as well as major property crimes: burglary, larceny (except theft from a motor vehicle), theft from a motor vehicle, auto theft and arson. As seen below, the percentages in data for the former category represent increases or decreases from 2018 to 2019, with the number of incidents from each year cited parenthetically.
Here's the breakdown:
District 1 (Northwest Denver)
Homicide percentage change from 2018 to 2019: 0 percent (8 to 8)Rape percentage change from 2018 to 2019: -22.7 percent (128 to 99)
Robbery percentage change from 2018 to 2019: -4.3 percent (185 to 177)
Aggravated assault percentage change from 2018 to 2019: 0.4 percent (472 to 474)
The best-performing police district in the city from 2018 to 2019, District 1 showed an overall crime reduction total of 11.4 percent, and similar success was found in reducing violent crime, or at least holding steady. The number of homicides, eight, was the same both years, and rape saw a decrease of more than 20 percent, with robbery falling more than 4 percent. While aggravated assaults went up, the rise was by just two incidents. Better yet, property crime fell in every major category. Arson tumbled by more than 40 percent and burglaries diminished by in excess of 12 percent. It's the DPD's biggest success story.
District 2 (North Denver)
Homicide percentage change from 2018 to 2019: 50 percent (12 to 18)Rape percentage change from 2018 to 2019: 3.0 percent (100 to 103)
Robbery percentage change from 2018 to 2019: -15.9 percent (176 to 148)
Aggravated assault percentage change from 2018 to 2019: -10.6 percent (181 to 430)
The news isn't nearly as good in District 2. Especially problematic is the homicide figure, which jumped by 50 percent, from 12 to 18, and rapes also went up by 3 percent. Robbery and aggravated assault figures were better owing to double-digit dips. But there were bumps in burglary, theft from a motor vehicle, auto theft and arson. Crime in District 2 officially fell by 6.5 percent year over year, but those digits definitely don't tell the whole story.
District 3 (Southeast Denver)
Homicide percentage change from 2018 to 2019: -50 percent (14 to 7)Rape percentage change from 2018 to 2019: -7.2 percent (111 to 103)
Robbery percentage change from 2018 to 2019: -15.6 percent (211 to 178)
Aggravated assault percentage change from 2018 to 2019: 23.2 percent (345 to 425)
The 4.7 percent decrease in District 3 crime during the past year is reflected by shrinkage pertaining to the most serious wrongdoing. Homicides were cut in half, from 14 to 7, and significant drop-offs were seen in rape and robbery. Likewise, the only one of the top five property crimes that rose in the area was auto theft, by 8.3 percent. Unfortunately, though, aggravated assault in District 3 experienced a boom during 2019, when eighty more incidents happened than the year before.
District 4 (Southwest Denver)
Homicide percentage change from 2018 to 2019: 50 percent (8 to 12)Rape percentage change from 2018 to 2019: -15.7 percent (102 to 86)
Robbery percentage change from 2018 to 2019: -5.2 percent (172 to 163)
Aggravated assault percentage change from 2018 to 2019: 5.5 percent (542 to 572)
Another mixed bag. Despite an overall 8.9 percent drop in crime, District 4 did poorly when it came to two of the worst crimes: homicide (up by 50 percent) and aggravated assault (a 5.5 percent boost). The good news: Aside from larceny (up 9.1 percent), major property crimes took a dive by as much as 28.8 percent.
District 5 (Northeast Denver)
Homicide percentage change from 2018 to 2019: -16.7 percent (6 to 5)Rape percentage change from 2018 to 2019: -29.1 percent (86 to 61)
Robbery percentage change from 2018 to 2019: 34.5 percent (110 to 148)
Aggravated assault percentage change from 2018 to 2019: 29.4 percent (347 to 449)
The worst performing police district in the city from 2018 to 2019. Diminishing numbers of homicides (by one) and rape (by 25) couldn't offset disturbing disappointments when it came to robbery and aggravated assault, as well as property crimes. Auto theft went down by 27.3 percent, but burglary, larceny, theft from a motor vehicle and arson all ratcheted up, as did lots of other offenses, adding up to a composite increase of 7.5 percent.
District 6 (Downtown)
Homicide percentage change from 2018 to 2019: -25.0 percent (12 to 9)Rape percentage change from 2018 to 2019: 4.4 percent (135 to 141)
Robbery percentage change from 2018 to 2019: 5.9 percent (269 to 285)
Aggravated assault percentage change from 2018 to 2019: 0.3 percent (771 to 773)
The District 6 crime increase of 6.8 percent suggests that it (barely) bested District 5. But the truth is more complex. While homicides went down by three, there were more rapes, robberies and aggravated assaults in the area in 2019 than the previous year. Likewise, all five of the most significant property crimes saw increases, ranging from a low of 14.5 percent for thefts from a motor vehicle to a high of 29.5 percent for burglaries. Don't expect a ticker-tape parade celebrating these achievements.
District 7 (Denver International Airport)
Homicide percentage change from 2018 to 2019: N/A (0 to 0)Rape percentage change from 2018 to 2019: -100.0 percent (3 to 0)
Robbery percentage change from 2018 to 2019: 0 percent (2 to 2)
Aggravated assault percentage change from 2018 to 2019: -46.2 percent (13 to 7)
DIA was a pretty safe place in 2019 from a violent-crime standpoint. There were no homicides or rapes between January and November of last year, and just two robberies — and aggravated assaults were nearly halved. But a fairly significant rise in thefts from motor vehicles and similar increases in other comparatively petty offenses resulted in a total crime increase of 3.7 percent. At least the skies are supposed to be friendly.
