Indianapolis appears to be turning a corner when it comes to reducing crime.

Property crimes and violence dropped slightly in 2018, according to new crime data released last week, continuing a positive two-year trend for the city. Overall crime fell 11 percent since 2016.

That's the good news for Mayor Joe Hogsett, who is asking voters to turn out next month and hand him another term in office.

But there's also bad news.

The number of violent crimes in 2018 remained higher than levels recorded in 2015, when incoming mayor Hogsett proclaimed the city was enduring a "public safety crisis" and vowed to fix the problem.

Three years later, the problem remains. The number of aggravated assaults in 2018, for example, was 11 percent higher than 2015.

Hogsett, a Democrat, has been shelled with crime-related criticism from Republican state Sen. Jim Merritt as the two grapple for control of the mayor's office ahead of the November election.

Merritt's offensive continued Wednesday at a press conference to talk broadly about public safety and Thursday after a homicide in Broad Ripple.

"The simple fact is that crime has spread during Joe Hogsett’s term as mayor," Merritt said in a statement. "It now infests every nook and corner of our once-safe communities."

Merritt's statement is not exactly true.

Violence has worsened under Hogsett — continuing a trend that began before he came into office — but overall crime numbers have improved by 9 percent. That's according to the new data last week, which is compiled by local police departments and released by the FBI.

Property crimes (burglaries, thefts and arson) have dropped by 12 percent since Hogsett became mayor. And robberies, which numbered in the 3,800s per year prior to Hogsett, reached a recent low of 3,081 in 2018.

"As federal prosecutor, I witnessed first-hand the challenges facing our city, as Indianapolis endured more than a decade of rising crime and double-digit percentage increases in homicides," Hogsett said in a statement to IndyStar. "I'm heartened by the progress that we have seen and, while there is more work to do, believe we are moving in the right direction."

The city has boosted spending on public safety and criminal justice initiatives under Hogsett, including more crime prevention grants for nonprofit organizations and the addition of a team of civilians focused on making headway in crime-battered neighborhoods.

Perhaps the biggest-ticket item, though, is an increased budget to expand the police force. IMPD initially struggled to grow the ranks, but Chief Bryan Roach expects to finally meet Hogsett's staffing goal and reach 1,743 officers by the end of the year.

Early results for 2019, meanwhile, look promising. Roach recently told a City-County Council committee that crime was down through the end of May, the most recent month analyzed. Violence has dropped about 4 percent compared to last year, according to an IMPD presentation, and property crimes are down 10 percent.

After four consecutive years of record-setting criminal homicides — three of the years on Hogsett's watch — Indianapolis also is seeing a hopeful but precarious dip in that number.

IMPD has investigated 111 criminal homicides so far — which is lower than the 121 recorded by this time last year.

But even if the data is showing positive signs, Indianapolis has still been home to several high-profile shootings in public places that remind the community of the challenges ahead.

There was the shooting outside the White Castle Downtown in May.

Six people, including three kids, were shot after an altercation at the nearby Steak 'n Shake late last month.

And then Thursday brought news of a homicide at Conner's Pub in Broad Ripple.

The last two prompted Merritt to hold press conferences as the Nov. 5 election approaches.

"My deputy mayor of public safety and I will focus on both the violent crimes that get the press attention and the less violent but still life-altering crimes that get ignored," Merritt said in a statement last week. "This will include being a leader on the streets, not hiding in the mayor’s office."

Among Merritt's plans, if elected mayor, are replacing 500 police cars, buying a new IMPD helicopter and appointing a deputy mayor for public safety. Merritt has not yet said how he would pay for those items.

Contact IndyStar reporter Ryan Martin at 317-444-6294 or ryan.martin@indystar.com. Follow him on Facebook or Twitter: @ryanmartin

This year IndyStar is deeply examining the level of violence in Indianapolis: why it is occurring, what is being done about it and what may inspire solutions. The project, called The Toll, also includes a weekly email newsletter. Subscribe for free at indystar.com/thetoll.