For the fourth year in a row, reported crime has dropped or remained steady in the City of Paducah. 2023 saw a two percent decrease from the previous year in Part 1 crimes. Part 1 crimes, as classified by the FBI, consist of “major” crimes: murder, rape, robbery, etc.
In 2023, Paducah officers responded to 50,603 calls for service, a six-percent increase over 2022.
One of the most significant reductions was the number of homicides in the city: There were six in 2022, compared to only one in 2023. The single homicide was an infant whose parents were arrested earlier this week in connection with her death in late November.
While there were fewer rapes and robberies reported, aggravated assault saw an increase, driven by a jump in the number of assaults on police officers. There were 13 such assaults in 2023, compared to only five in 2022.
Arson decreased by 50 percent from 2022 to 2023, and burglary dropped by four percent.
Shoplifting remains a major contributor to Paducah’s crime rate. There were 277 reported cases of shoplifting in 2023, an increase of 12 percent over 2022.
“Retail theft and other property crimes continue to drive our crime stats, not violent crimes against persons,” said Police Chief Brian Laird. “The shoplifting problem is not surprising, given Paducah is a hub for shopping in western Kentucky.”
Paducah police officers continued their efforts in 2023 to take impaired drivers off the road. They arrested 323 people for driving under the influence, an increase of 33 percent over 2022.
Officers investigated 1801 collisions, down from 1821 in 2022, and reported that inattention continues to be the leading cause of crashes. Injuries were reported in 306 of the crashes, with 429 total people injured.
There was only one fatal crash in the city in 2023. This is down from three in 2022.
“We cannot stress enough the need for drivers to pay attention to the road,” Laird said. “Drivers need to focus more on driving and less on distractions like cell phones.”
“I want to credit the hard work of our officers for the continued reduction in crime,” he said. “Their efforts continue to keep Paducah a safe community in which to live and to visit.”
