Yuma Police Department gives their annual report at City Council work session

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - The Yuma Police Department (YPD) gave their 2024 annual report at Tuesday's Yuma City Council work session.

According to the report, there was an 80% decrease in homicides in 2024, with only two occurring. However, YPD Chief Thomas Garrity says these are hard to control.

"What we're trying to do is we try and reduce domestic homicides and that's through education, through productivity, making sure that we arrest people who commit domestic violence," he says.

Chief Garrity says this also means encouraging victims to speak out and bring the abuse to light.

Meanwhile, Yuma Mayor Doug Nichols says this report helps understand where the city is at in terms of crime.

"Knowing what's happening with the police department, what they're struggling with, where they're succeeding, all that really helps us as we prepare budgets, prepare guidance, look at the growth of our community," said Mayor Nichols.

Sexual assault saw the biggest increase in percentage at 5.71%.

"I would like to think that that is actually through education and reporting, that people are reporting, they're not keeping quiet about it anymore and through our partnership with Amberly's Place, our child and family crimes detectives, they do a very good job of sitting there and trying to get the message out of don't be silent, report," Garrity says.

The chief says he is proud of the work his officers have done and hopes to continue to improve the department.