Salem’s violent crime rate hit 15-year-high in 2024, report shows, as property crime declined

Salem in 2024 saw its highest violent crime rate in 15 years, driven largely by a recent spike in sexual and aggravated assaults, according to recently released data from the Salem Police Department.

Meantime, the city last year saw the lowest rate of property crimes reported in 15 years, which drives down the overall crime rate. The drop-off comes as the police department in recent years has pulled officers away from investigating such crimes to…