The Tucson Police Department, like many others around the country, is actively trying to find qualified applicants who want to join the force.
Recorded violent crime was down in the Tucson area last year. Part of that was a drop in homicides.
There were 54 homicides in Tucson last year, according to year-end data from the Tucson Police Department. That’s the lowest total since 2019, when Tucson recorded 43 homicides, and tied with 2023 numbers. It’s down from 69 homicides in 2024, and from a high of 78 in 2021…