Crime in Aurora continued to decline in the first half of 2026, according to Aurora Police Department officials.

Crime overall in the city has been on a downward trend since 2024, according to APD.

Between Jan. 1 and June 30, violent crime dropped 9%, from 1,236 reported incidents last year to 1,119 this year. Overall crime dropped 11% compared to the same time frame last year, from 6,245 incidents to 5,580, according to APD numbers.

Notably, murder cases dropped from 17 last year to seven this year, motor vehicle theft dropped from 1,137 last year to 707 this year, and burglaries dropped from 469 to 356.

In the first half of the year, APD officers responded to more than 142,000 calls for service and made more than 4,500 arrests, according to a news release.

Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain said the department has focused on data-driven policing, redistricting, hot spot enforcement, directed patrols, technology and thoughtful policy changes.

The department has also had stronger recruitment and higher retention rates, he said.

The department has focused on prevention and intervention, Chamberlain said, putting resources toward programs like Standing Against Violence Everyday that target at-risk populations to prevent crime before it happens.

“Crime doesn’t decline by accident,” Chamberlain said in the release. “It declines because of strategy, execution and the dedication of the people carrying out the mission every day.”

Chamberlain has been with the department since 2024.

In his time as chief, Chamberlain has also faced backlash from the public. At every Aurora City Council meeting, members of the public ask city leaders to fire Chamberlain in response to a series of high-profile police shootings.

The department declined to provide year-to-date numbers of officer uses of force, saying the numbers have not been finalized this year.

Last year, there were 643 use-of-force incidents.

Chamberlain also addressed Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua, saying the department has a “much better grasp” on the issue that was at the forefront of residents’ minds when he took over the department.

“They don’t have the openness they had before. They don’t have the terror on the community that they had before,” he said.

Any community that needs law enforcement should call for help, Chamberlain said.

“We are here to serve you, no matter your status, documented or undocumented,” Chamberlain said. “We are not involved in immigration … we are involved in making sure people are not victimized.”