Columbus Police Chief Stoney Mathis and his command staff presented city council with the latest crime data for the city and there was nothing but good news. Chief Mathis began his presentation by showing off awards of recognition for the department including the FBI’s Agency of the Year award.
“It’s just very humbling that I get to receive these awards on behalf of the police officers and men and women that actually do the work because I assure you it’s not Stoney Mathis out there handling calls at 2 or 3 in the morning getting guns put in my face, getting spit on, cussed at, yelled at and still have to use dignity to the people even if you have to arrest them that we are treating them with the utmost respect,” Mathis said.
January marked the first time in a decade the police department didn’t report a single homicide. By comparison there were 64 murders in 2021 and 27 murders in 2025, the lowest number for murder in six or seven years. Columbus had a 51% clearance rate in Part 1 crimes last year. The national average is 17.4%. The city saw the biggest decrease in aggravated assault cases. There is also a 60% reduction in theft by taking motor vehicles this year…