Violent crime and overall crime in Washington, D.C., has decreased to levels city leaders say they haven't seen since before the pandemic.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith touted the reduction in crime during a news conference Monday.
Bowser said there's been a 35% decrease in violent crime in the District since last year and carjackings have dropped nearly 50%.
"And violent crime and overall crime are lower today than they were before the pandemic," Bowser said.
We've got the news you need to know to start your day. Sign up for the First & 4Most morning newsletter — delivered to your inbox daily. >Sign up here.
"As I've said once before, even if one resident feels unsafe in our community, there's still more work for us to do," Smith said. "I'm very pleased with the numbers with where we are today. We will continue to fight crime without stopping. We will continue to fight crime without giving up. And in this city, we will continue to fight crime without losing motivation."
Data from Bowser and her public safety team show violent crime has gone down 35% compared to this time last year, while property crime is down 11% and overall crime has reduced 15%
Smith said more targeted police strategies have helped. Bowser pointed to new laws that hold repeat offenders more accountable, and said more criminals are being held in jail rather than being released back into the community.
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
Bowser pushed back when asked if falling crime rates might be attributed to crime trending downward nationally.
"This is what I know: When crime goes up it's our fault. When crime goes down it's somebody else's, like, gain, right? Is that the theory behind your question? When crime goes up, blame the mayor. When crime goes down, certainly the things that we put in place couldn't have anything to do with that," she said sarcastically.
Bowser is set to testify before a congressional committee on public safety and other issues on Tuesday.
