Officials with the city of Rochester have released public safety numbers at the year's mid-point.
The RPD's online database shows 16 homicides through June, down from the same period in 2024.
Mayor Malik Evans said Tuesday it's about chipping away at the numbers.
"You know, Will Rogers once said, 'even if you're on the right track, you'll be run over if you just sit there.' And we are not just sitting there. We're moving forward," said Evans.
In April, the city announced homicides were down by 36% from last year. They also said Rochester's gun violence metrics have fallen by about 50% from 2021 to 2024 and are continuing to fall this year.
There were a total of 47 homicides reported in 2024, a 19% drop compared to 2023, according to the RPD database.
The Rochester Police Department says it is providing an increased police presence in local gathering areas, including the beaches at Ontario Beach and Durand Eastman Parks, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park, the Regional Transit Service Transit Center and Parcel 5. The RPD is also partnering with New York State Police and other law enforcement agencies to conduct stolen vehicle and illegal off-road vehicle details and operate the East End Entertainment District Special Event Zone on Saturday nights.
Evans is reminding residents of many summer programs and services available to help young people and adults stay healthy and safe.
“By working together, we can continue to drive crime and injury numbers down, but more importantly we can continue to drive numbers up in terms of jobs and engagement,” Evans said. “I call those opportunity numbers. If we bring those opportunity numbers up, all those sad statistics will continue to go down.”
The city says the Department of Recreation and Human Services has multiple items on their summer agenda, including:
- Summer schedules and programming at the city R-Centers, which provide children a safe and supportive environment during the weekday and include breakfast and lunch
- Three summer camps
- Opening all five City pools, Durand Eastman Beach and spray parks to help residents find relief from the heat
- The R-Night Out Summer Series of family entertainment events, held on four Thursday nights in July and August. The series kicks off this Thursday, July 10, with a family movie night at the Frederick Douglass R-Center on South Avenue
- Free Sports Clinics at the Rochester Community Sports Complex on Oak Street
- Youth leadership and workforce-development programs, including Summer of Opportunity and My Brothers Keeper
- The ROC the Block Community Employment Fairs in each City quadrant
- Many events held at the Rochester Public Market and International Plaza