Crime Increased 3 Percent in Democrat-Led Washington DC Since 2020

Crime in Democrat-led Washington, DC, increased three percent overall compared to the same time last year, according to statistics collected by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

The year-to-date crime comparison from the MPD, not including unrest-related burglaries, showed that overall crime had risen three percent since last year, as of the latest update at 12:00 a.m. on December 27. The data showed there were 28,044 crimes reported, compared to 27,323 at the same time last year.

“Property Crime” rose three percent (23,992 total) since last year in the year-to-date comparison.

The data showed the most significant percentage increase in “Property Crime” is “Theft from Auto,” which has risen five percent (8,577 total) in the year-to-date comparison, and “Motor Vehicle Theft,” which has grown eight percent (3,475 total) in the year-to-date comparison.

“Violent Crime” rose three percent (4,052 total) since last year in the year-to-date comparison.

Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser on Monday, March 22, 2021. (Carlos Barria/Pool via AP)

The data showed the most significant percentage increase in “Violent Crime” is “Assault w a Dangerous Weapon,” which has risen three percent (1,657 total) in the year-to-date comparison, and “Homicide,” which has risen 14 percent (224 total) in the year-to-date comparison.

After the death of George Floyd while in police custody, and in the wake of the defund police movement, city councils and mayors, such as Washington, DC, gave in to the left — mostly while the riots were happening across the county — and took much-needed funding away from the police department.

Last year, Washington, DC’s city council rejected Mayor Muriel Bowser’s proposal to increase funding and instead cut the budget for fiscal year 2021 by $32 million and redirected $9.6 million from police to violence interruption programs. The proposed budget for 2022 would have cut the funding again by roughly six percent and increased the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement, the city’s leading “violence interruption agency,” by 172 percent.

However, after the proposed budget for 2022 was submitted, Bowser requested an additional $11 million for the budget to fund the hiring of more police officers since the hiring “ground to a halt.” Bowser said in July during a public safety briefing, “Last year, unfortunately, we saw a $15 million reduction in [the police] budget and because of that reduction we have not been able to keep the hiring pipeline in full effect.” After some debate, the council unanimously passed the overall budget and split the $11 million between hiring D.C. police ($5 million) and the violence prevention programs ($6 million).

Jacob Bliss is a reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow him on Twitter.

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