Fresno Records Lowest Murder Rate In 50 Years Under Chief Casto

Fresno's homicide count fell to 22 in 2025, the lowest figure the city has recorded in more than 50 years, as Chief Mindy Casto completed her first full year leading the Fresno Police Department. The total represents a 70% reduction from 2020, when Fresno recorded 74 murders, and a 27% drop from 2024.

"The biggest drop was in our gang-related murders," Casto said. She credited the Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium, federal prosecutions, and the community intervention program Advance Peace, which deploys mediators directly onto Fresno streets to de-escalate conflicts before they turn deadly. She also attributed the decline to post-pandemic accountability, fully reopened courts, and a targeted enforcement approach to gang violence.

The achievement extends beyond the homicide count itself. The department reported a murder clearance rate of at least 100% for 2025, with some figures placing it at 105% once solved cases from prior years are factored in. That compares to a national average of roughly 60%. For non-fatal gunshot wound investigations, FPD posted a 79% arrest rate, far above the national norm of 20 to 30%.

"But I have to stop for a second because this is not about the number. It is about the people and the families that did not have to deal with the tragedy in our city this year of a lost loved one and the ripple effects this has on so many lives, so we are grateful we have been able to make this kind of an impact," Casto said at a press conference attended by Mayor Jerry Dyer, City Manager Georgeanne White, and Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp.

Gun seizures factored heavily in the reductions. FPD reported removing approximately 1,459 firearms from the streets in 2025, with some figures placing the total above 1,500. Shooting incidents dropped to 162 in 2025, a 78% reduction since 2020. Auto thefts fell 34%, equating to 1,250 fewer stolen vehicles, a result Casto credited to a second career criminal theft team and closer collaboration with juvenile probation. Traffic fatalities declined 17% from the prior year, and traffic citations surpassed 40,000 over the past 12 months.

The progress came at real cost to the officers producing it. Casto noted that 381 officers were assaulted while on duty in 2025, and three officers were shot over the past three years, with one sustaining injuries but making a full recovery. ShotSpotter technology has aided response times, according to department officials, but Casto emphasized that the human commitment behind the numbers cannot be overlooked.

"I often talk about the priorities for this agency as I meet with community members or talk to you during interviews. And those priorities are preservation of life, building and maintaining trust with our community, and crime reduction, of course, and dealing with quality of life issues," Casto said. "I'm proud to say that we've made tremendous, tremendous progress on all of those priorities this year."

Mayor Dyer credited the collaborative effort between local leadership, the district attorney's office, and individual officers. The department described itself as nearly fully staffed but said it continues to recruit, even as it works through what GV Wire characterized as ongoing difficulty retaining exhausted new officers.