“It’s a significant drop:” U.S. homicide rates falling, same trend follows on Delmarva with increased policing

DELMARVA – “It’s how the community is taking hold of the areas in which they live and how policing is being done,” Chief Todd said.

U.S. homicide rates are on a downwards slope and could potentially hit record lows according to national crime analysts.

Master Corporal Ryan Schmid with the Dover Police Department said they’re seeing that same trend with only two homicides in the city in 2023 compared to three in 2022. “That doesn’t seem like a big difference, however if you look at two years prior in 2020, we had eight that year. It’s a significant drop,” Schmid said.

In Delaware, gun violence has fallen 30% since 2020 according to the Delaware Attorney General’s Office. Dover Police told us a big contributor to that is their robust efforts in getting those firearms off the streets. “Last year, we seized 166 firearms off the street. Now that doesn’t mean that’s what directly contributed to it. However, I believe, and the agency believes that plays a big factor,” Schmid said. “That could be from our patrol officers, our detectives, and even our street crimes unit that is typically out there trying to get guns and drugs off the streets.”

Over in Maryland, Cambridge Police Chief Justin Todd said the city’s homicide rate is also on the decline from seven in 2022, which he said is the highest number on record for the city, to just three in 2023.

Chief added that plans are already in motion to crack down on crime in 2024. “We’re going to be using such tactics as patrolling with a purpose to really target and look at these high crime areas that we’re having our shootings, robberies and other major crimes,” he said.

Chief Todd also credited their improved crime data with helping to keep their streets safer. “Being able to help us predict crime, where our hotspots are, the times off day and days of the week and things of that nature,” he said.

Chief Todd said their community policing efforts also play a big part in helping solve many crimes.

Dover Police told us another big factor helping them crack down on crime is their technological advancements. Dover city council recently approved funds for license plate readers and may look at even better technology in the future.