WASHINGTON — The district crossed the grim threshold of 100 homicides so far in 2022, the earliest that mark has been reached since 2003, and the DC Police Union is placing the blame on council's police reform legislation.
On Father's Day, 16-year-old Taniya Jones was killed inside a Southeast, D.C., apartment in the 4400 block of 3rd Street. Sources told WUSA9 she was a student at Ballou High School and did not live in the neighborhood where she was killed.
DC Police Union Chairman Gregg Pemberton said in a news release that in 2021, the 100th homicide was recorded on July 10. During the last 10 years, the average date that the district reached this grim marker was Oct. 25.
Pemberton asserts that crime data on the department’s website shows that homicides in 2022 have increased 16% this year, over last year’s 14% increase. Homicides in Ward 1 are up 166% this year. Robberies citywide are up 32%. And so far this year, there have been nearly 200 carjackings in D.C.
“This increase in crime is due to the DC Council’s implementation of misguided ‘police reform’ legislation,” Pemberton said. “The Council’s actions have had a chilling effect on professional and responsible policing. Other major cities that have passed similar legislation have also experienced the mass departure of police personnel and, as a result, surges in crime. While the Council does its business inside a building protected by armed security, police officers in the real world are unable to do the impactful and necessary tasks needed to protect the public and apprehend violent criminals.”
MPD has lost over 500 police officers to either retirement or resignation since council's actions, Pemberton said, and the total strength of the police department is approximately 3,400 sworn officers, the lowest number in decades.
D.C.'s homicide rate is up 16% compared to last year, which saw a record-high number of homicides, with 226 homicides committee in the District in 2021.
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