Rise in Unsolved Murders in DC caused by police shortages – Law Officer

Washington D.C. – The nation’s capital is less safe with fewer solved murders and the defund and defame police movement is being blamed for it.

As of last month, just 75 of the 244 homicides committed this year have been solved by police.

Factoring in the 33 prior-year homicides cleared thus far in 2023, the overall closure rate stands at around 45%.

That would be the lowest rate dating back at least to 2007, according to statistics provided by the MPD.

Nationally, the average clearance rate tends to hover between 50% and 60%, said Rick Rosenfeld, a professor of criminology at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

A low closure rate, particularly on homicides, can erode police morale and community trust in the police and lessen the public cooperation between citizens and police that is vital for many investigations, said Christopher Herrmann, an associate professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a former crime analyst supervisor with the New York Police Department.

Homicides in Washington continue to rise and are up 33% this year over last year. Violent crimes involving juveniles also are rising steadily, as are carjackings, with a U.S. congressman and a diplomat from the United Arab Emirates among the recent victims according to Headline USA. 

Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Lyndsey Appiah told The Associated Press that police staffing issues and difficulties with crime scene analysis were among the potential factors impacting the clearance rate.

The MPD has 500 fewer officers that three years ago and union officials have publicly blamed the D.C. Council for the anti-police policies that have driven away officers and stifled recruiting efforts.

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