Violent crime fell in the City of Allentown from 2019 to 2020.

According to Allentown Police Department statistics, the number of Part 1 crimes dropped 11% from 4,812 in 2019 to 4,283 in 2020.

“From my very first moment on the job I have said that public safety is my top priority,” said Mayor Ray O’Connell.  “The statistics bear out that Chief Glenn Granitz and the Allentown Police Department are working hard to prevent crime and to solve those crimes that do occur and bring the perpetrators to justice.”

Chief Granitz said, “I have seen a correlation between proactive policing and a decrease in crime in my short time as chief. I want to thank our officers and detectives for working diligently throughout the pandemic and focusing on reducing violent crime and taking guns off of our streets. We are the third largest city in Pennsylvania, and we did not fire a single gunshot in 2020. That is a testament to the dedication of our men and women, along with our increased training in crisis intervention and de-escalation. The focus on taking illegal firearms off the street and clearing violent crimes is important work that we will continue to do here in the city of Allentown.”

The department took 244 firearms off the street in 2020.

Part 1 crimes include homicide, non-fatal shootings, rape, robbery, burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft and arson.  The number of reported non-fatal shootings, rapes, robberies, burglaries, and larcenies fell.  The number of motor vehicle thefts and arsons increased.  Nine homicides were recorded in each of the two years.

Burglaries showed the highest percentage decrease at nearly 38% and is at least partly attributable to residents staying home in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Non-fatal shootings are not tracked by the Pennsylvania State Police Uniform Crime Report under Part 1 Crime, or any other crime category. It is a type of crime that Allentown Police Department finds pertinent to track.  They fell 15.25% from 2019 to 2020.

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