Crime in Silver Spring dropped in the last two months with more police patrolling downtown, new data show, prompting some Montgomery County lawmakers to wonder why the county needs a youth curfew. The data show only one aggravated assault in downtown Silver Spring since Aug. 1, compared with an average of three every two months in the past. Robberies also dropped from an average of six per month to 1.5 per month since Aug. 1.

The Montgomery County Police Department in July doubled the number of police officers patrolling the area during the hours the proposed youth curfew targets, said Cmdr. Donald Johnson.