VIPD Ends Home Inspections in Firearm Licensing Amid Federal Lawsuit as Brooks Reports 25% Drop in Violent Crime

With the V.I. Police Department officially declared in compliance with its long-standing federal consent decree, attention is now shifting to two parallel challenges: sustaining constitutional policing standards while confronting violent crime and defending the territory’s firearm licensing system amid a new federal lawsuit.

Speaking at the administration's press briefing Monday, Commissioner Mario Brooks said that reaching compliance does not mark the end of reform efforts. Instead, the department will continue focusing on reducing crime in the territory.

The department is already seeing progress, he said. “Based on our average from ‘24 to ‘25 we’ve seen a 25 percent reduction in violent crime. So our goal is to get that down even more.”

Brooks noted that officers are implementing “some new strategies” to maintain the downward trend.