The Ithaca Police Department says violent crime dropped sharply in the city last year.
According to the department’s newly released 2025 annual report, violent crime fell 25 percent compared to 2024, while property crime dropped 12 percent. Officers responded to more than 22-thousand calls for service during the year.
Police say programs focused on mental health response and alternatives to arrest continued to expand in 2025, including the CARE Team and the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion program. The department also launched a new Violence Interrupter initiative aimed at reducing violence through community outreach and intervention.
Officers completed nearly 98-hundred hours of training in areas including de-escalation, crisis intervention, and mental health response.
Police Chief Thomas Kelly says the progress reflects strong partnerships between the department and the community.
