WFEA Morning Update Segment: FBI Crime Trends, Law Enforcement Realities, and National Security

Former U.S. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund, author of Courage Under Fire, joined host Jeff Chidester on The Morning Update for an in-depth analysis of newly released FBI Uniform Crime Reporting data. Drawing from decades of experience in law enforcement leadership, Chief Sund offered critical context on shifting crime trends across the nation.

• Analyzing the FBI Statistics: Chief Sund and Jeff broke down the national crime figures, examining significant drops across major violent crime categories—including marked decreases in homicides, robberies, and aggravated assaults—alongside property crime drops like motor vehicle theft.
• The “One Outlier” Statistic: The duo took a deep dive into the specific statistical categories that deviated from the broader downward trend. Chief Sund explained why certain crimes, such as non-fatal offenses captured by victimization surveys (e.g., simple assaults or unreported domestic incidents) or localized surges in specific property crimes, can lag behind national violent crime drops.
• Factors Behind the Numbers: Chief Sund provided an insider’s perspective on the factors driving these national trends. He discussed the impact of post-pandemic law enforcement operational shifts, targeted intelligence-led policing, changes in reporting methodologies, and the ongoing recruitment and retention challenges facing police departments nationwide.
• Leadership & National Security: Connecting the data back to themes from his book Courage Under Fire, Chief Sund emphasized the role of proactive police leadership, clear inter-agency communication, and institutional support for first responders as vital foundations for maintaining long-term public safety.

For a closer look at Chief Sund’s firsthand experience leading law enforcement during major national security crisis events, you can watch Chief Steven Sund’s Courage Under Fire Book Talk. This video provides valuable context on his career and leadership philosophy when handling complex security threats.