ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Crime may feel like it’s increasing across the Asheville area, but a closer look at recent police data suggests a more complicated picture, with many agencies reporting mixed trends rather than across-the-board increases.

In Asheville, calls for service rose sharply in March, with 9,482 calls recorded from March 1-31, 2026, compared to 7,843 during the same period in 2025. Calls for service, however, reflect demand for police response and do not necessarily indicate confirmed criminal activity.

Citywide crime data shows a more nuanced trend.

Total reported crimes increased from 725 in March 2025 to 851 in March 2026. Violent crime rose from 25 to 45 cases, while property crime dipped slightly from 323 to 316. Other criminal offenses, which include a range of non-violent violations, increased from 404 to 490.

Police also saw increases in enforcement and activity. Officers made 394 arrests in March 2026, up from 320 a year earlier, while citations jumped significantly from 445 to 769.

At the same time, incident reports rose from 886 in March 2025 to 970 in March 2026.

Despite the higher workload, response times improved slightly, averaging 8 minutes, 59 seconds in March 2026 compared to 9 minutes, 35 seconds the year before.

Community engagement remained relatively steady. Officers participated in 12 neighborhood meetings and 10 community events in March 2026, compared with 13 meetings and 11 events in March 2025.

Staffing continues to be a challenge for the department. As of March 30, Asheville Police had 172 sworn officers out of 232 authorized positions, leaving 60 vacancies. Of those officers, 18 are still in field training and not yet working independently. By comparison, the department had 165 sworn officers and 67 vacancies at the end of the 2025 fiscal year.

Regional trends vary by department

In Weaverville, several categories saw increases year over year. Calls for service rose from 630 in March 2025 to 758 in March 2026, while reports filed increased from 26 to 33. Traffic stops nearly doubled, climbing from 111 to 197, and arrests increased from five to eight.

At the same time, response times lengthened, averaging 4.27 minutes in March 2026 compared to 3.32 minutes the previous year. Traffic crashes remained relatively steady, with 26 reported in 2026 and 25 in 2025.

Police Chief Somer Oberlin noted the department provides broader context through quarterly reports presented to town officials throughout the year.

Data from Black Mountain shows relatively stable overall crime levels, despite changes within specific categories.

Calls for service dipped slightly, from 2,094 in March 2025 to 2,069 in March 2026. However, incident reports rose from 125 to 141.

Violent crime increased from zero reported cases in March 2025 to two in March 2026, while property crime declined from 17 to 11. Quality-of-life offenses rose from 15 to 25.

Arrests also increased, from 21 to 26, driven in part by a significant jump in drug charges, which rose from seven to 24. Motor vehicle accidents increased, with reportable crashes more than doubling from six to 13.

Despite those changes, Patrol Lt. Joshua B. Kiser said overall crime levels remained “relatively consistent,” with fluctuations across categories.

In Hendersonville, police reported notable increases in enforcement activity and certain crime categories compared to the previous month.

Traffic stops surged by more than 110 percent, while citations rose by more than 240 percent. Custodial arrests increased 19 percent, and incident reports climbed 37 percent.

Some crime categories also saw sharp increases, including drug offenses, up 200 percent, and larcenies, which doubled. Assaults rose by 50 percent.

Motor vehicle crashes were up slightly overall, though injury crashes jumped significantly.

In Fletcher, calls for service rose modestly from 526 in March 2025 to 557 in March 2026. However, incidents increased more sharply, from 55 to 79 and arrests climbed from 18 to 30.

Fraud cases saw a notable rise, increasing from two in 2025 to 10 in 2026, while drug offenses and assaults also ticked upward. Larceny, however, declined slightly.

Community engagement efforts also increased, with 12 events reported in March 2026 compared to nine the year before.

In Woodfin, March 2026 data shows 757 calls for service, along with 46 reports filed and 31 crashes. Officers conducted 161 traffic stops and recorded 61 combined arrests and citations. The department reported no staffing vacancies.

A complex picture

Across Buncombe and Henderson counties, the data suggests that while some categories — such as calls for service, drug offenses and enforcement activity — are increasing, others remain stable or are declining.

Law enforcement officials emphasize that individual metrics, such as calls for service or traffic stops, do not always equate directly to increases in crime, but can reflect changes in policing strategies, staffing or community activity.

Taken together, the numbers paint a nuanced picture: while public perception may be that crime is rising, the reality varies widely depending on the agency and the type of offense.