Crime rates in Washington, DC continue to rise despite the city council chairman declaring earlier this year that there is no crime crisis in the nation’s capital.
Democratic DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson told the House Committee on Oversight in late March that while there are significant concerns about crime, residents should not worry.
“Regarding crime, yes, there is a big concern,” Mendelson said. “But while the perception is important, the reality is less concerned. Let me clarify: People should feel safe, and it is a problem that many residents of the district are not.
“I know this defies common belief – and when it comes to crime, what people feel is important – but there is no crime crisis in Washington, DC”
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Phil Mendelson, chairman of the District of Columbia City Council, testifies before the US House Oversight and Accountability Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, March 29, 2023. (Michael A. McCoy/For The Washington Post via Getty Images)
The hearing comes after months of wrangling between Congress and the D.C. council over crime proposals. It also happened just a few days after a staff member of Republican Sen. Rand Paul was seriously injured after being stabbed by a man who had recently been released from prison.
But months after his comments from the March hearing, crime statistics paint a different picture than Mendelson’s assurances about the “reality” of where the city stands.
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According to data from the DC Metropolitan Police Department, nearly all crimes are up from this time last year. On August 18, the nation’s capital experienced a 63% increase in robberies, a 27% increase in homicides, a 14% increase in sexual abuse and a 4% increase in assaults with a deadly weapon.
Violent crimes overall increased by 38%, the data shows.
Crime has risen in DC over the past year. (Celal Gunes/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
The city also witnessed a 29% increase in property crimes over the past year, including a 167% increase in arson, a 115% increase in motor vehicle theft and a 3% increase in theft
Last year’s crime statistics also trend in the opposite direction from 2021 to 2022. During that time, there was a decrease in every crime category except motor vehicle theft, which saw an 8% increase , according to the data.
Democratic DC Councilmember Trayon White Sr. also sang a different tune than Mendelson. White said in early August that it might be time to bring in the National Guard as the city continues to be plagued by crime.
DC Councilmember Trayon White Sr. said. that the city’s crime is “out of control and getting worse.” (Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
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“Crime is out of control and getting worse every day,” White said at a press conference earlier this month. “We must declare an emergency about crime and violence in our neighborhoods and act urgently. It may be time to call in the National Guard to protect the children and innocent people who are dying in this senselessness.
“I am tired of burying our children. We are too comfortable with the state of our city. We must take action to control and protect our residents. Law enforcement is only one part of how we combat the safety issues of public. us to heal our community.”
Mendelson did not respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.
Thomas Phippen and Emma Colton of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.
