The Knoxville Police Department has seen a notable decline in violent crime, as indicated by their preliminary 2025 priority crime report, with significant drops in murders and non-fatal shootings. Knoxville's murders have decreased by 26 percent from 23 in 2024 to 17 in 2025, hitting the lowest mark since 2016. Non-fatal shootings have also taken a downward turn, decreasing by 27 percent. This decrease comes after a significant 45-percent reduction in 2024. According to the Knoxville Police Department, Chief Paul Noel attributed these achievements to the "relentless and focused effort" of the department.
Alongside the progress in combating violent crimes, the city has also reported positive trends in property crimes. Reported robberies and motor vehicle thefts have dropped by 27 percent and 22 percent, respectively. Even car burglaries saw a slight decline, moving down one percent from the previous year. Despite these positive trends, Knoxville is not without its setbacks. The city has experienced a slight uptick in assaults, with a two percent increase in aggravated assaults, nearly half of which were of a domestic nature.
Mayor Indya Kincannon has expressed her satisfaction with the public safety progress in Knoxville. "Public safety has always been job #1 for my administration, and these numbers prove we are moving in the right direction," she told the Knoxville Police Department in a statement. The comprehensive efforts of the police department, alongside the contributions from various city partners, have been central to Mayor Kincannon's strategy for enhancing safety in Knoxville neighborhoods.
The preliminary report released is yet to be audited by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. This is a standard procedure for all Tennessee law enforcement agencies to ensure the data's accuracy. The full 2025 priority crime report will be available for public access following the official audit.
