Benton Harbor has seen a dramatic decrease in violent crime and stolen vehicle thefts so far in 2025, according to Public Safety Director Dan McGinnis.

Speaking during a recent update, McGinnis said shootings are down 75% compared to last year, and the city has recorded no homicides in the first eight months of 2025 — a 100% drop from 2024.

“This is huge,” McGinnis said. “We’ve got great police officers, great detectives, strong help from the state police and the sheriff’s department, and cooperation from the courts. Something is working in Benton Harbor.”

Benton Township has seen similar results. Police Chief Brian Abrams reported a 50% drop in non-fatal shootings and no homicides so far this year.

Vehicle theft is also down sharply in Benton Harbor — from 133 in 2024 to just 41 this year, a 69% decrease. McGinnis noted that while current numbers are still above averages from a decade ago, they are now trending sharply downward.

McGinnis credited the success to close collaboration between agencies, weekly coordination between detectives in both Benton Harbor and Benton Township, and a focus on accurate, local crime data.

“When people want to talk about Benton Harbor crime, we tell them: come to us for the real numbers,” McGinnis said. “These results deserve to be shouted from every rooftop in the city.”