SBPD talks safety, staffing at quarterly safety meeting
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- On Thursday, city leaders addressed safety in the City of South Bend throughout Q3 and so far in 2025.
Among the topics discussed were staffing updates, traffic information, and crime statistics.
Assistant Chief Dan Skibins with the South Bend Police Department talked about officer staffing numbers. The department closed out Q3 at 247 and now sits at 246 after he says there was a termination.
“In order for us to have success with our crime suppression strategies, staffing is the most important thing for us, to have enough officers on our shifts, and then to have enough officers in our specialty units to utilize those strategies. So, happy to report that we're maintaining for the last two years, right around 250 officers,” said Skibins. “We currently have nine recruits at the Northern Indiana Law Enforcement Academy. They are scheduled to graduate in mid-November if the nine are successful in completing all their testing. We also have one lateral that's just starting the process: that's looking positive for us. Those nine that are at the Academy, and the one lateral would be sworn in on December 2. Should they all pass, like I said, the remaining testing.”
Crime Data: This data is from January 1st to September 30th of this year.
1. Gun violence:
*South Bend police say this is any incident involving a firearm.
- 2025: 449 incidents
- 2024: 508 incidents at the same time last year
2. Criminally assaulted shooting victims:
*South Bend Police say those numbers do not include suicide, accidental or intentionally self-inflicted gunshot wounds, or self-defense.
- 2025: 44 criminally assaulted shooting victims
- 2024: 52 during the same time last year
3. Guns recovered:
- 2025: 430
- 2024: 578 during the same period last year
4. Death Investigations:
- Total: 14
- Homicide Investigations: 8
- Ruled justified: 2
- Ruled Reckless: 1
- Murder: 5
Of these homicide investigations, police say one remains open. According to police, every murder is a homicide, but not every homicide is a murder.
SBPD numbers show five people have died from gunfire to date, and five last year during the same time.
South Bend Mayor James Mueller says oftentimes there’s a seasonal uptick in gun violence during the warmer months, which they saw again. He says gun violence overall is down.
“The homicide victims from gun violence is at the similarly low historic rate that we saw last year. So last year— the rate— It was the lowest since about 10 or 15 years and was tied among the lowest of the last 20 years. And so, we were obviously wanting to see what happened this year, because historically, when you had a low year, Unfortunately, it had a bounce back the following year. So far, we have not seen that, fortunately, and so when you combine these two years, we're seeing very positive and encouraging trends,” said Mueller.
Police also discussed the success of resources and technologies they use to address crime, like their Real Time Crime Center (RTCC), FLOCK license plate readers, ShotSpotter gunfire detection, and Resource Router–a software that puts officers in the spots they are needed most. Police also shared some cases where the Real Time Crime Center was helpful.
Mayor Mueller pointed to national trends playing a role in reduced gun violence, but says police strategies, including good staffing levels, have worked to reduce gun violence in South Bend.
5. Traffic: SBPD discussed traffic enforcement and strategy, highlighting intersections where there are the highest numbers of collisions, and which intersections receive targeted attention.
Here are the top 5 intersections by number of collisions so far this year, from police:
- W IRELAND RD, S MICHIGAN ST: 19
- PORTAGE RD, W CLEVELAND RD: 15
- CHAPIN ST, W SAMPLE ST: 14
- SOUTH BEND AVE, IRONWOOD RD: 14
- W SAMPLE ST, S LAFAYETTE BLVD: 11
South Bend Police, as well as Mayor Mueller, addressed Eddy Street Commons as well, after increased police presence area following multiple arrests, as well as a few broken windows and damaged vehicles… from what police call ‘apparent gunfire’.
South Bend’s Police Chief, Scott Ruszkowski, says they're constantly reviewing deployment and technology to use their resources in order to keep the area safe.
In addition to safety measures taken by SBPD, Mayor James Mueller also said that property owners and businesses there have taken their own measures, like hiring their own security.
Chief Ruszkowski says some officers are working part-time in the Eddy Street Commons for private entities or businesses, and taxpayers don't foot the bill for that. Ruszkowski also says shift strength remains the same.
“There is no area in this city that we have ignored to take away resources to put them towards Eddy Street Commons. None,” said Ruszkowski.
SBPD also discussed two cases involving children who were injured by gun violence in South Bend recently.
A four-year-old was injured in a shooting early Sunday morning at an apartment complex. Police said today that through investigation, they determined the child did not suffer a gunshot wound but was injured as a result of the shots fired. Police say the violent crimes unit is still handling this case, and it's a high priority for them.
“Our officers are treating every one of these as if it's a family member. So, it’s a 12-year-old, 8-year-old, 1-year-old… that's one of our kids too,” said Ruszkowski.
In August, eight-year-old Royalty Dillard was critically injured in a shooting near the Laurel Woods Apartments.
Captain Kayla Miller with SBPD shared an update on her condition.
“We do have good news that she is continuing to progress well. That is something we are very happy for,” said Miller.
According to court documents, 18-year-old Tommy Gatheright is facing felony charges in connection with the shooting on August 17 near Laurel Woods Apartments.
As of today, according to the South Bend Police, 3 children 12 or younger have been shot so far this year.