D.C. has seen a significant drop in the number of violent crimes this year, city police said.
WTOP, citing Metropolitan Police Department data, reports a 23 percent decrease for the year as of Nov. 27, compared to this time last year.
“We’re very, very pleased with the results we’ve had with violent crime this year,” MPD Chief Peter Newsham told WTOP.
He attributed the reduction to a concerted effort among District agencies.
“There’s more to solving crime than just the police,” he said. “A lot of things go into crime — lack of opportunity, sometimes it’s substance abuse, sometimes it’s mental health issues. It appears all the city agencies are engaged in helping us to reduce crime, and I think we’re seeing the result.”
So far this year, the District recorded 106 homicides, down from 123 at Thanksgiving last year, WTOP reported.
“If you look at crime totals since 2009, violent crime in particular has been on a steady decline,” Newsham said. “To have a 23 percent reduction, on top of some of the lowest [crime totals] we’ve had in recent years is a really good sign for Washington, D.C.”