ASHEVILLE – The Asheville Police Department reported there was a significant drop in citywide violent crime in 2025, with the lowest homicide count since 2017.
Interim Police Chief Jackie Stepp called the 24% decrease in citywide violent crime compared to 2024 “no small feat.” In the city’s Jan. 29 Public Safety Committee meeting, Stepp said there’s no one factor that contributed to the drop.
It represents a culmination of restaffing, the work of on-the-ground officers, investigators, the strategic use of technology and support from city staff and the community, according to Stepp…