WASHINGTON 鈥斅犅燞omicide rates have risen in聽D.C. and its suburbs, despite聽an overall decrease in violent crimes.
The number of homicides increased by聽55.8 percent in聽D.C., and in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, according to Ron Hardy, who made the remarks during the聽Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments board of directors meeting Wednesday.
Hardy, Takoma Park Police Department’s emergency preparedness manager, is a member of the Council of Governments’ Police Chiefs Committee, which presented the crime figures as part of its annual crime report.
Hardy聽called the increase “significant” and noted聽that rape offenses had risen聽by 3.7 percent.
Breaking it down, Montgomery County had a dozen more homicides last year than in 2014; D.C. had 52 more homicides; and Prince George’s County had 28 more homicides.
The committee’s report attributed the rise in homicides to illegal firearms, domestic violence and gang-related violence. But some local聽leaders聽pressed for more details.
“We’ve had illegal firearms for decades, so what’s different about last year?”asked 聽D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, a member of the聽Council of Governments board board.
Montgomery County Councilman Roger Berliner, the board’s chairman, added, “Can you dive beneath the numbers and tell us what is happening on the ground that brings this about?”
The聽committee is expected to spend time聽looking beyond the numbers for trends.
