Prince George’s County homicides continued to be significantly higher than a year ago through the first half of the year, though the pace of deadly crimes slowed from the skyrocketing increases of the first three months of 2007.
Through the first half of the year, homicides were up 19 percent, from 58 to 69.
An additional nine people were murdered or were victims of manslaughter so far in July, bringing the homicide toll in the county through Wednesday to 78. That is an increase of 10 from thesame date a year ago.
County police saw good news in the numbers, saying homicides had cooled after jumping 56 percent in the first quarter of the year.
According to Police Chief Melvin High, the “principal driving forces” of the first-quarter spike were neighborhood feuds and drug issues.
Though he declined to get specific about tactics, High said, “We were able to address some of the drug issues that were driving some of that and some of the neighborhood feud issues that we think helped us decrease the numbers.”
High said a partnership with the FBI and other agencies has been helpful in addressing the homicide situation.
In April, FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge William Chase sent a letter to U.S. Rep. Albert Wynn, D-Md., outlining ways the FBI planned to help “hopefully decrease the levels of violence” in the county.
Wynn had asked for assistance from Chase in “closing numerous open murder cases” in the county.
The FBI pledged to increase the number of agents that would be used to provide investigative support on Prince George’s homicide cases and provide the county with a liaison in its lab to discuss forensic support in homicide cases, among other things steps. High said the FBI has followed through.
“The more that we can take advantage of other laboratories, not only for DNA testing, but drug testing and firearms testing … that helps us to speed up the investigation,” High said.
Crime stats
Overall, violent crime is down 10.9 percent and property crime is down 2.3 percent compared with the first half of 2006.
First half 2007 crime stats vs. 2006
» Homicides: Up 19 percent
» Rapes: Down 15.2 percent
» Robberies: Down 3.5 percent
» Carjackings: Down 30.6 percent
» Auto theft: Down 10.5percent
