PETERSBURG, Va. — Petersburg experienced a notable reduction in its murder rate, which has been cut in half compared to the previous year. However, other crimes, including aggravated assault, rape, and robbery, saw an 8% increase in 2024.
In an exclusive interview with CBS 6 senior reporter Wayne Covil, Petersburg Police Chief Travis Christian discussed the positive trends in the city while acknowledging the challenges that law enforcement faces.
“Right now we are almost at full capacity in terms of budgeted positions for law enforcement,” Christian said.
The homicide count dropped from 23 people killed in 2023 to 11 people killed in 2024, a 52% decrease. And of those 11 murders last year, Christian said more than half resulted in an arrest. That 64% is well above the national average of 57.7%…