Violent crimes in Maricopa during 2023 skyrocketed over the previous year, Arizona Department of Public Safety annual statistics show.

Overall, violent crimes were up more than 19% to 154 in 2023, compared to 129 in 2022, DPS reports.

Assaults involving weapons totaled 139 in Maricopa last year, up 22% from 2022. That’s a five-year high, according to DPS annual comparisons.

While the DPS comparisons are somewhat grim, Maricopa Police Chief Mark Goodman approached the subject from a different perspective. Goodman said city data shows that through November, crime per capita is down about 8% overall.

“It is essential to recognize that violent crime statistics, though impactful, represent a relatively small portion of the overall crime in our city, and thus, the numbers can fluctuate greatly from year to year,” Goodman said in a statement to InMaricopa today.

“Per capita, there was a 2.33% increase in violent crime. The vast majority of crimes reported in Maricopa are nonviolent,” Goodman clarified. “Most of our violent crimes involve individuals who are known to one another. These statistics demonstrate the broader picture of our community becoming safer over the last year. Maricopa is proud to remain one of the top five safest cities in the state of Arizona.”

Goodman said crime rates are expected to swell with Maricopa’s population growth of about 6% a year.

Maricopa Police Department employs 81 sworn officers and several civilian staff who assist in day-to-day operations. The chief said vacancies at the police department were “minimal.”

DPS reports Maricopa youths were the target of a large portion of violent crimes. Victims aged 10 to 17 numbered 52. There were 33 victims between the ages of 25 and 34.

The data showed the types of weapons used in Maricopa violent crimes:

  • 63 using fists, hands, feet, arms, teeth and other body parts.
  • 39 using firearms.
  • 34 with motor vehicles or vessels.
  • 17 using other dangerous weapons.

Of those arrested for violent crimes in Maricopa, 23 were aged 11 to 17; 20 were aged 18 to 24; 28 were aged 25 to 34; 26 were aged 35 to 44; and 13 were aged 45 to 54.

Victims in violent crimes were 51.4% male and 48.6% female.

Victims of 2023 violent crimes in Maricopa were: 94 White, 36 Black, eight Native American, two Asian and 34 unknown.

Robberies were up 67% in 2023 with 10 cases.

Of the robberies committed, 50% were in roads, parking areas or at camps, and 40% were at businesses. At-home robberies were at 10%.

Of those robberies, half were committed with firearms, one-third with a deadly weapon, and one-fifth using hands, fists, feet, arms or teeth.

Maricopa sexual assaults in 2023 totaled five, down 38% compared to 2022.

No murders were officially recorded as of late December, although the murder of a Maricopa woman has been under investigation by MPD since Dec. 5.

MPD and the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit are trying to find out whether 38-year-old Homestead resident Crystal Uptain was murdered in Maricopa County, the city of Maricopa or elsewhere in Pinal County.

Of those arrested for violent crimes in Maricopa, 29% were women and 71% were men. The races of those arrested were: 52 White, 39 Black and 16 Native American.

Other DPS numbers involving nonviolent crimes showed burglaries totaled 46, up 24% from 2022.

Of those burglaries, the methods of entry were divided 50-50 between forced and non-forced entry.

Most burglaries were committed on Mondays and Wednesdays.

There were 52 auto thefts reported in 2023, down 4% from 2022.

Mondays were auto thieves’ day of choice, with 18 committed on that day of the week. The numbers show more than half of auto thefts were from homes with just under 30% from parking areas, roads and camps.

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