MIAMI – The rate of homicide arrests in the city of Miami were up in 2023 compared to the national average.
At a news conference Wednesday morning, Miami Police Chief Manny Morales credited the hard work of his officers which he says led to the reduction in crime and one of the lowest violent crime rates in the city’s history.
“Despite all the rhetoric in the media or social platforms about gunfights, extraterrestrial invasions, I just want to let you know that Miami is the safest it’s ever been, and this is a direct result of the hard work of the ones that risk their lives every single day.”
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said 2023 was quite possibly the lowest year for murders in recorded history and was grateful to all those who made 2023 possible.
“I’m grateful to our police and law enforcement, who put their lives at risk every single day so that we can be safe. I’m grateful to our community partners, pastors, teachers, and leaders who helped build our ecosystem of public safety,” he said.
Last year, Miami Police Department’s Assistant Chief Armando Aguilar told Local 10 News credited good police work coupled with new technologies as the success of a higher homicide arrest rate known as a clearance rate in 2023 and an overall decline in violent crime.
Aguillar said his department has seen a decrease in carjackings but a rise in auto thefts.
He noted that the uptick in auto theft comes within the context of a decades-long historic low in crime. The department reported a 40% reduction in murders and non-fatal shootings compared to 2022.
Aguillar also announced that the Miami Police Department is looking to hire nearly 100 officers with various working backgrounds.
Also on Wednesday, Morales addressed the department’s ongoing investigation into the near-drowning of a one-year-old child at a pool in Miami’s Little Haiti neighborhood last week.
“As the police chief of Miami, I am filled with anger, heartbreak, and disappointment as we witness a child clinging to life and a family of tourists desperately holding on to hope,” he said.
Morales revealed that the home was illegally listed as an Airbnb and that the child was there vacationing with family and that it appeared that the property didn’t have any pool barriers.
Suarez said the city of Miami is committed to funding and supporting the police department and investing in innovative crime-fighting technologies.
He went on the thank Morales and his officers for their dedication and service to the city.