Fort Myers police report double-digit crime declines in first half of 2026

FORT MYERS, Fla. (WINK) — Fort Myers police are reporting hundreds fewer person and property offenses during the first half of 2026, as the department continues to report declines across several major crime categories.

According to the Fort Myers Police Department’s 2026 Mid-Year Crime Reduction Update, person offenses decreased 26% compared with the first six months of 2025, falling from 782 offenses to 579. Property offenses dropped 24%, from 1,131 during the first half of 2025 to 863 during the same period this year.

That amounts to 203 fewer person offenses and 268 fewer property offenses, a combined 471 fewer offenses across the two broad categories.

Fort Myers Police Chief Jason Fields told WINK News the reductions are not isolated to one neighborhood or area of the city.

“The city has grown exponentially over the last number of years, and as we have grown out, we’ve actually seen crime reductions, which is usually the opposite,” Fields said. “Normally, when cities grow, we see crime increases, but we’re actually seeing the opposite of it, and it’s great to be able to report that.”

FMPD report shows declines in several crimes The latest numbers follow declines in several major crime categories documented in FMPD’s 2025 Annual Report.

From 2024 to 2025, motor vehicle thefts dropped 38%, from 178 to 111. Robberies decreased 36%, from 90 to 57, while thefts including those from motor vehicles dropped 39%, from 1,374 to 835.

Murders decreased 22%, from nine in 2024 to seven in 2025. Aggravated assaults decreased 4%, from 301 to 289.

Not every category declined. FMPD’s annual 2025 report shows burglaries increased 10%, from 153 to 169, while reported rapes increased 42%, from 28 to 40.

Police focus on trends, hot spots and repeat offenders Fields said officers are closely monitoring where crimes are occurring and focusing resources on people believed to be responsible for repeated criminal activity.

“We look at crime trends. We do some really, really in-depth follow-ups and we’re hyper-focused on the few individuals that are causing the most crime out there and holding them accountable,” Fields said.

FMPD’s annual report describes the department’s use of a stratified policing model. The approach uses crime analysis to identify repeat calls for service, crime patterns, hot spots and habitual offenders before determining how resources should be deployed.

The department identified 38 hot-spot patterns in 2025, down from 53 in 2024.

The West District saw identified hot-spot patterns drop from 14 to five, while the Central District fell from 11 to eight and the South District dropped from 14 to nine. The North District increased from 14 to 16.

Fields also pointed to technology as one of the tools helping officers investigate and respond to crime.

“Technology has helped us out tremendously,” Fields said. “Our real-time crime center, our constant monitoring of crimes, is just simply amazing. However, you need the people behind that technology to really work it and to get out there and track down these criminals. Technology’s only gonna take you so far, and that’s where the human element comes into play.”

FMPD’s annual report says its Real Time Crime Center integrates computer-aided dispatch information, automated license plate readers, ShotSpotter gunshot detection and city-owned and other authorized cameras.

The department’s Intelligence Unit also uses crime mapping, forensics, risk assessments and geographic information to identify patterns and develop suspects.

Fields told WINK News all of FMPD’s sworn positions are currently filled.

“Our retention and hiring efforts have been just astronomical,” Fields said. “We are at a point right now where all our sworn spots are filled.”

Fields said having those positions filled allows the department to better meet the city’s needs while dedicating resources to responding to calls, combating crime and conducting follow-up investigations.

Jane Polakoff was born and raised in Fort Myers and has watched the city change over her 41 years.

“There were times probably when I was a lot younger, 20-plus years ago, there was a couple places to kind of come to downtown,” Polakoff said. “You kind of made your way in and made your way out, go back to the car.”

Today, Polakoff said she has noticed a difference.

“I definitely think it’s gotten a lot better,” Polakoff said. “We visit during the day and night. We come to a lot of the events on the weekends too, so I love how downtown has really grown and [is] a lot more fun.”

Polakoff also said cameras and other technology give her additional peace of mind.

“I think there’s more peace of mind knowing that there are the cameras,” Polakoff said.

Lynn Chisholm has regularly traveled to Fort Myers for work since 2021. Chisholm said traveling alone makes her particularly conscious of safety.

“I certainly feel safer here than in some other communities, Orlando, Miami, even sometimes the Tampa area,” Chisholm said. “Whatever you’re doing to keep Fort Myers safer, I’m all for it. I enjoy coming here.”

The broader decline in reported offenses does not mean Fort Myers has been without high-profile violent crime. Rolbert Joachin is accused in two separate Fort Myers murder cases.

Because the cases remain active, Fields did not discuss specifics of the investigations. WINK News instead asked him how his department generally handles major investigations that receive attention beyond Southwest Florida.

“Any high-profile or major case, as with any case we’re gonna do or any investigation, it’s gonna be all hands on deck,” Fields said. “Each investigation is a little bit unique.”

Fields said factors including witnesses, surveillance and the severity of the crime can make each investigation different.

“However, we’re gonna take the same approach,” Fields said. “We’re gonna put the same effort and do everything that we can to provide justice and give justice to those family members.”

Fields said national attention does not change those fundamentals.

“We understand that any case can rise to a national level,” Fields said. “However, we’re not gonna compromise the basics, and we’re gonna make sure we get the job done correctly and accurately.”