SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – The city of Shreveport went 60 days without a homicide, the longest streak in decades, and Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith says its a credit to all the men and women in uniform.

Until the fatal shooting of Kenneth Dotie on Labor Day, there were no homicides in Shreveport since July 6.

During a news conference on July 22, Chief Smith touted a 9% decline in violent crime and a 35% decrease in homicides from 2021.

While police can’t take credit for the dip in the city’s homicide rate, sound police investigations are getting more offenders off the street quicker.

“I’m just so proud of the officers that we have out there each day doing the best job that they can,” Smith said. Embracing technology, embracing new techniques for responding to calls for being able to figure out the puzzles in crime. For being more aggressive and more proactive in their policing. Just a whole host of things that’s making for such good ingredients that are causing our numbers to decline.”

To date, there have been 36 homicides in Shreveport.

This time last year, there were 65 homicides by July 6, and 2021 ended with Shreveport logging 91 homicides.