Elgin’s crime rate down 8% in 2025, shots fired incidents reach historic low
Elgin recorded a drop in the overall crime rate and a record low number of shots fired incidents in 2025, according to the city’s recently released annual crime report.
The statistics show an 8% drop in “Group A” serious crimes, which includes reductions in assault, theft and criminal damage offenses compared to 2024. The city recorded one murder in 2024, down from seven the previous year.
“It’s one of the lowest crime levels we’ve recorded in decades,” Elgin Police Chief Ana Lalley said before passing the credit to her officers. “This happens because of a group of people who are very thoughtful about trying to make a safe community.”
The city also experienced a 63% drop in gunfire incidents, finishing 2025 with 24 shots fired reports after recording 65 in 2024.
“A lot of this is coming out of multiple years of concerted efforts to try and tackle this problem more holistically,” EPD crime analyst Ryan Drake said. “That’s resulted in good seizures, good arrests and arresting key players in gang violence.”
Lalley said they “really didn’t do anything differently.”
“We continue to do directed patrols, work with our law enforcement partners and do really good police work,” she said. “We’re making great arrests.”
Elgin’s downtown area experienced an overall crime decrease of 11%, with substantial drops in the rate of assaults, criminal damage and disorderly conduct. Drug violations were up 63%, however.
The downtown area accounted for 9.8% of Group A and B offenses in 2025.
While some crimes like robberies and weapons violations reached historic lows in 2025, drug-related offenses reached a near 13-year high, part of a five-year trend that has also seen an upward trajectory of motor vehicle thefts.
Drug/narcotic violations increased from 176 five years ago to 332 in 2025, and drug‑equipment violations rose from 46 to 95, with most seizures resulting from officer‑initiated traffic stops.
Cannabis was the most frequently seized drug, and more than 200 THC vape pens were entered into evidence.
Last year, the department’s newly formed cold case unit received national attention on its first case when authorities located the body of Karen Schepers, who had been missing for 42 years.
“It was probably the most significant investigation we’ve had here for some time,” said Lt. Mike Martino. “It had a huge effect on the department, and to be able to do that for the family is something that we’ll probably remember for the rest of our lives.”
The department has added another detective to the unit and introduced a new interactive cold case kiosk in the lobby of the police department that allows visitors to explore case details, view photographs and submit tips on the spot.