St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway shared a mix of good and bad news with city council members during a recent quarterly crime update.
From July 1 through September 30, criminal offenses decreased by 4.8%. Over the past five years, crime has dropped by 7.1%. However, homicides have risen by 30% year over year, increasing from 10 to 13. The two most recent murders involved knives. Holloway’s storm-delayed presentation did not include statistics from October and early November.
St. Petersburg is on track to surpass the number of homicides recorded in 2022 (16) and 2020 (15). In 2021, the city saw 33 murders as it emerged from the pandemic.
“Our detective division is doing an outstanding job,” Holloway said at the November 7 meeting. “They have closed out every homicide case this quarter with an arrest.”
He also praised the Gun Response Investigation Team’s (G.R.I.T.) efforts, which established 61 new leads in the quarter, compared to 12 in 2023. The team aims to uncover evidence to prevent additional gang-related offenses, reducing some violent crime.
From July through September, 52 guns were stolen, with 25 taken from often unlocked vehicles and 27 from buildings. “On a positive note, we had 47 guns turned in this quarter,” Holloway said. Officers also recovered 21 firearms, totaling 68 guns removed from the streets.
Gun theft remains a persistent issue in St. Pete. Councilmember Richie Floyd noted a decrease in these numbers. Holloway acknowledged that 52 guns are “still too many” but agreed that the statistics show a downward trend.
“There were 25 guns taken out of cars this past quarter,” Holloway elaborated. “We used to be up in the 50s. We just have to keep reminding people to take their guns out of their cars.”
In the third quarter of 2023, St. Petersburg recorded 65 robberies, 278 burglaries, 427 thefts from motor vehicles, and 267 stolen automobiles. These numbers decreased to 46, 234, 402, and 174, respectively, in 2024.
Holloway mentioned that the city must modify its 2nd Chance Program due to storm impacts. This juvenile diversion initiative offers an alternative to court, allowing participants to exchange an arrest record for an eight-hour workday. All 13 eligible juvenile offenders enrolled in and completed the program in 2023. “Our kids are starting to fall behind,” Holloway said.
The city’s Parks and Recreation department typically enrolls participants within a week of committing a crime. Holloway commended Mike Jefferis, community enrichment administrator, and his team for their “great job” implementing the initiative.
“But with everything going on, nine kids have not been able to go to this program, and they’re waiting in a queue,” Holloway said. “We’ve done a workaround now …”
The department’s Community Assistance and Life Liaison (CALL) program, in partnership with Gulf Coast Jewish Family and Community Services, will temporarily oversee the 2nd Chance initiative. Holloway emphasized the importance of reaching youth before minor issues become major problems. The CALL team provides a compassionate civilian response to behavioral health-related 911 calls without accompanying officers.
In the third quarter, the CALL team made 902 community contacts without reporting any injuries or violent incidents. “We’re having professionals help people with their problems – without a badge or a gun at the scene,” Holloway said.
The department’s Police Assisting the Homeless (PATH) unit made 585 contacts and 421 referrals to local nonprofits. Despite the year-over-year increase, Councilmember Gina Driscoll noted ongoing complaints about homeless people sleeping in city parks and along the downtown waterfront.
“We’re seeing large amounts of personal items,” she said. “It seems like it gets better, and then it gets worse again. These are folks who need help – or issues that need to be addressed.”
Driscoll noted that the problem seems more prevalent at night. She credited the PATH and CALL programs but questioned why officers are not “seeing what I’m seeing out there.” She offered to meet with Holloway privately to discuss the issue and “whatever you need to help your team do better.” Municipalities can now face lawsuits for allowing people to sleep in public.
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(Image credit: WFLA)
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