RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- With only a couple weeks left before the new year, Richmond is on track to see record-low homicide statistics in 2024. This comes as the Richmond and Henrico Health Districts (RHHD) recently released new data showing residents were most worried about violence when it comes to public health. Nutrition, mental -- and physical -- health, opioid use and healthcare accessibility represent a handful of concerns that traditionally come to mind when many think of public health. Those are also themes the Richmond and Henrico Health Districts identified as top priorities according to their last community health assessment, which took place in 2017. Richmond and Henrico Health District's Population Health Manager Tamara Jones sat down with 8News to discuss the purpose behind the survey. "[The goal is] to find out directly from our community what they perceive the health needs, and health concerns, are and what's going well in the community," Jones explained. Richmond leaders claim that there was a noticeable shift in 2022. "Remember the reputation this city used to have in terms of being a very violent city?" said Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, reflecting on the city's past. After the summer of 2022 saw an alarming spike in homicides, Mayor Stoney declared gun violence a public health crisis. Now, two years later, RHHD's data reveals violence still rests high on residents' minds. "[Violence] was identified as a priority this year," Jones confirmed. Now, officials said the City of Richmond is on track to finish the year with 51 murders compared to 65 last year. "As we wrap up the year, you're going to likely see a 26% reduction in violent crime over the last eight years," Mayor Stoney said. Of course, authorities emphasized how one life lost is still one too many. City leaders gathered at the bones of the newly relocated First Precinct in Richmond's East End Tuesday morning. The new site is one public safety stepping stone but -- when it comes to the overarching mission -- leaders clarified it's all hands on deck. Local health districts joined the war against violence. "What we're planning to do, moving forward, is -- as a group -- develop community health improvement plans so that we can begin to address those concerns and the community," Jones said. One might remember that 2024 began on a rough note in terms of gun violence. The city witnessed nine homicides in the month of April alone — five of those killed were children. So, on Tuesday, 8News asked Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards what he thinks helped change that trajectory. He credited both Operation Safe Summer and partnerships with surrounding local law enforcement partners for contributing to a strong, valuable impact.