Waco Police report 7.3% drop in overall crime for 2025

WACO, Texas (KWTX) - Waco police reported around a 7% decrease in overall crime in 2025 compared to the previous year.

Police Chief Sheryl Victorian, who is entering her fifth year with the department, presented crime statistics comparing 2025 numbers to data from 2024 and back to 2021.

“Overall though crime is down in the city of Waco as compared as to the historic last year over 7 percent,” Victorian said.

Crimes against property, like theft, and crimes against society, such as drug trafficking, both decreased from 2024 levels.

However, crimes against persons increased by 11 incidents this year compared to 2024.

“Since 2021, crimes against persons have decreased 16 percent but we were point 4 percent or 11 incidents higher than we were last year, and the driving force behind those numbers were family violence, 59 percent of those were family violence related,” Victorian said.

Victorian said the department is working to educate and connect with the Waco community through events and social media to help reduce crime numbers.

“Its the education when people know how to best protect themselves and want to connect to learn how to best protect themselves from being victimized, I think that really helps right,” she said.

The department is also seeking additional resources to support officers, including partnering with the Waco Fire Department to hire a public safety psychologist and pursuing grants for internal team development.

Victorian said public safety is a team effort and thanked the community for maintaining trust between residents and officials.