According to a report from the Naperville Police department, major crime reported in Naperville decreased in 2021 compared to 2020 and remains low compared to other cities of Naperville’s size throughout the country.
Every category of major crime decreased except for arson and criminal sexual assault, where one additional incident of each was reported in 2021 compared to the previous year.
The report does highlight, however, an increase in shootings and firearm seizures compared to previous years.
There were 12 reported incidents of shots being fired within City limits compared to eight (8) in 2020 and three (3) in 2019. Naperville officers also seized 146 illegal firearms in 2021 compared to 82 in 2020 and 73 in 2019. Many of the gun seizures were the result of proactive policing efforts. In 2021, Naperville officers conducted 2,000 more traffic stops than they did in 2020, which helps with both traffic safety and crime prevention. Traffic stops show a visible presence of the police in the community, which has been shown to deter crime.
The report lauds the effectiveness of the force in solving crimes. In 2021, an offender was arrested for murder less than 48 hours after the incident, an attempted murder was solved in less than a week, and offenders were charged in two cases of arson, among many other arrests.
Click here for the full report.
