WORCESTER—Worcester recorded two homicides in 2025—the lowest total in at least five years—as violent and property crime declined across nearly every major category tracked by the Worcester Police Department in its newly released annual statistics.
The figures, formally submitted to the city council this week, show broad year-over-year declines in shootings, robberies, breaking and entering incidents and motor vehicle thefts. In several categories, 2025 totals also came in well below the department’s five-year averages.
Homicides dropped from 16 in 2024 to two in 2025. The five-year average stands at 10.
Aggravated assaults fell from 744 to 685. Non-fatal shooting incidents declined from 17 to 13. Robberies dropped from 200 to 147. Reported gunshots fell sharply, from 537 to 398—a 25.8% decrease from the prior year and more than 40% below the five-year average.
Property crime showed similar movement. Breaking and entering incidents declined 35% year over year and sit more than 43% below the five-year average. Motor vehicle theft fell 16 percent from 2024 and remains roughly 20% below the longer-term average. Larceny from motor vehicles and vandalism both posted double-digit percentage declines.
Traffic crashes decreased modestly, from 8,226 in 2024 to 7,861 in 2025. Noise disturbances dropped by approximately 13 percent.
“The Worcester Police Department’s annual compilation of crime statistics shows that several categories of crime have declined,” City Manager Eric D. Batista wrote in a letter to councilors. “Notably, the number of homicides dropped substantially from 16 in 2024 to 2 in 2025, which is lower than other mid-size cities in the region and well below our own five-year average.”
Compared with longer-term trends, several 2025 figures reflect sustained declines rather than a single-year fluctuation. Reported gunshots, robberies, and breaking and entering incidents all fall significantly below five-year norms.
At the same time, overall police activity ticked slightly upward. Total incidents rose just over 1% from 2024 and arrests increased by more than 11%, according to the report. Patrol-initiated activity also increased year over year, even as most major crime categories declined.
Police Chief Paul Saucier attributed the results to a combination of community policing initiatives, technology and targeted gun enforcement strategies.
“The annual compilation of crime statistics assists our department with assessing and tailoring our policing strategies,” Saucier wrote in his report to the city manager. “I believe this success was accomplished through strategies and tactics that are proactive and based on partnerships between the police, municipal departments and the community.”
The department continues to rely on its Real Time Crime Center and ShotSpotter gunshot detection system, monitored by the Crime Gun Intelligence Unit, which works in partnership with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms and state police to trace firearms and connect ballistic evidence across cases.
The decline in reported gunshots—down nearly 26% from 2024 and more than 40% below the five-year average — comes as the department maintains that the technology has improved response times and evidence collection in shooting investigations.
The department also points to youth-focused initiatives, including classroom outreach and its summer GANG Camp program, as part of its violence prevention strategy.
“These statistics also stand out because even while the city’s population is increasing, they continue to trend downward,” Batista wrote. “It shows that our efforts are paying off, and people continue to move here because they see that Worcester is a safe place to live, work, and raise a family.”
The report will be formally presented to the city council on Feb. 24 as an informational communication.
