BALTIMORE — Many neighbors across Baltimore city may believe crime is getting worse but the numbers tell another story, as the Baltimore Police Department reports violent crime has dropped 16% since 2018.
The BPD reported that violent crimes aren't the only crimes seeing a decrease, besides a drop in murders, police said there also has been a drop in property crime and non-fatal shootings.
Violent crime in Baltimore has not only dropped since last year but over the last five years.
Looking at homicides alone, by today's date last year, there were 89 people killed in Baltimore, this year that number has dropped to 76.
The same decrease can be seen in the number of non-fatal shootings. By today's date last year, there were 185 non-fatal shootings, this year to date that number is 150.
It's why both police and the Mayor's Office on Neighborhood Safety and Engagement or MONSE believe their Group Violence Reduction Strategy (GVRS) is working.
GVRS is a concentrated deterrence that involves engaging directly with those most involved in and affected by violence by bringing together law enforcement, social services, and community members to work together to stop the violence.
Over the last five years, police say there has been a 16% reduction in violent crime in Baltimore and property crime has decreased 26%.
Between the first quarter of 2022 and the first quarter of 2023, Baltimore saw a 24% drop in shootings and a 21% drop in homicides across the city.
Police reported the western district saw a 34% drop in homicides and shootings.
Meanwhile, police said gun arrests are up 33% since 2019 and gun seizures are up 22% since 2019.
MONSE will announce this morning how youth advocate programs and community service are helping the Group Violence Reduction Strategy bring those numbers down.
Police plan to expand the GVRS program to the southwestern district, then to the central district, and ultimately to all other districts across the city.
