DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) — Decatur police leaders and community partners are doubling down on efforts to curb violence following a recent spike in shootings, while also pointing to long-term progress in reducing crime across the city.
City officials said 2026 has started with troubling violence, including multiple shootings and lives lost. Decatur Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe said even one loss is too many and urged families and the community to take a more active role in preventing violence before it starts.
“A 19-year-old kid doesn’t just wake up one day and decide to go buy a gun and start shooting people,” Wolfe said. “This starts at a much, much younger age. So I’m calling on parents to do your job … You need to know what your kids are doing, who they’re running with and if they’ve already gotten their hands on weapons, find out and take them away."
Decatur Police Chief Brad Allen acknowledged the community’s concern but said context matters. According to the department, the total number of reported shooting incidents in 2025 dropped to a three-year low, continuing a nearly 50% reduction over the past five years.
“That is significant, and it reflects the sustained work being done not only by the Decatur Police Department, but by our community partners to address and reduce violence,” Allen said.
Despite that progress, Allen said the city is dealing with a concentrated spike driven largely by known individuals and ongoing conflicts, not random acts against the public. In response, police have made violent crime their top priority, deploying additional personnel, increasing proactive patrols and working closely with street crime teams and outside law enforcement partners.
In 2025 alone, Allen said officers seized 312 illegal firearms.
“Each one of those guns represents a potential act of violence that never occurred,” Allen said, adding that most of the weapons were stolen or traded illegally on the street.
Police stressed that enforcement alone is not enough. Allen said early intervention and strong partnerships are key, especially as officers see more violent behavior involving younger teens.
“A lot of the violence that we’re talking about today is being committed by kids as young as 13 and 14 years old,” Allen said.
The department is working closely with Decatur Public Schools through its School Resource Officer program and plans to bring back the D.A.R.E. program with a broader focus on decision-making and life skills.
Community leaders echoed the call for prevention and mentorship. Devon Joyner, who works with youth across Decatur, said many young people struggle with self-worth and conflict resolution.
“I want them to understand that their lives are worth it,” Joyner said. “A lot of kids right now don’t have any self-value … Conflict resolution is something that we really have to push."
Officials are also urging residents to help by sharing information with police, staying engaged in their neighborhoods and supporting community programs.
“Silence protects offenders. It does not protect neighborhoods,” Allen said. “Violence is preventable when everyone does their part."
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