Evansville saw a reduction in shootings and homicides in 2018.
Following an unusually high number of shootings and homicides in 2017, police say both were down about 40 percent in 2018.
In a news release, the EPD says 11 homicides were investigated last year, down from 19 in 2017.
Shootings fell from 64 in 2017 to 39 last year.
Police credit a “concentrated effort” by the EPD, the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office, Indiana State Police, the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office, and federal law enforcement partners.
The effort led to the creation of the police department’s Violent Incident Prevention Enforcement and Response Unit -- known as the VIPER Unit.
Police say VIPER helped the EPD identify and locate individuals involved in violent crime.
Police also say reports of shots fired were down about 15 percent, from 820 calls in 2017 to 695 in 2018.
