FBI: reported violent crime down nationwide and locally

The crimes include: murder, non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery and aggravated assaults.

The Dallas FBI Field Office shared insight into the reported decline in violent crime both in the U.S. and in the North Texas region.

According to the agency's 2025 Crime in the Nation Report, there were 1.1 million violent crimes reported nationally, a decrease of 9.3% from 2024 to 2025.

The crimes include: murder, non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery and aggravated assaults.

North Texas registered a 9% drop in violent crimes, including a 12% drop in murder, a 13% drop in robbery, a 7% drop in sexual assault, and an 8% drop in aggravated assault, according to the agency.

Dallas FBI Special Agent in Charge Joe Rothrock credits various efforts for the positive news, including increased partnerships between the feds and local law enforcement agencies.

One such collaborative effort paid off in 'Operation Red Card' targeting violent criminals across dozens of cities in North and East Texas ahead of the FIFA World Cup, he says.

"Those federal prosecutions range from narcotics and firearms violations up to robberies and kidnappings," said Rothrock in an interview. "We see those targeted short-term surges as really effective in identifying those most violent."

The FBI increased its presence in Fort Worth's high-crime areas last year under Operation Safe Neighborhood, he said.

Another partnership, this one statewide and over the course of a month, targeted child predators.

Operation Soteria Shield involved 90 agencies and ended with the arrest of 270 suspects and the rescue of more than 80 victimized children, he said.

There are limitations in the statistics, Rothrock acknowledges.

While the FBI works closely with thousands of counties across the country, not all are partners and the statistics pertain to the crimes reported by victims and then reported by agencies to the FBI.

"It is generally referred to as an estimate because it is the reported information from law enforcement agencies," said Rothrock of the report. "We have more than 19,000 law enforcement agencies nationwide. 17,000 or so are reporting into this program. So this is a good representative sample of the, you know, the really significant decrease we've seen in violent crime across the nation."

Rothrock also acknowledges there has been an increased partnership between the FBI and immigration agents over the past 18 months, supposedly targeting specific criminals in the country illegally.

When asked whether he agrees with President Trump that reduction in crime is tied to his administration's crackdown on illegal immigration, Rothrock will only say it's a partnership that will continue.

"And again, it's with the eye towards we're identifying those bad actors in our communities that are driving violent crime, and if that's a tool that helps us to address violent crime, then we'll continue to use it," he said.