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Record number of homicides: these are the five most dangerous cities in the country

New Orleans, Kansas City, Portland, Philadelphia, and Milwaukee have experienced ongoing crime problems this year and exceeded 2020 rates.

Los Ángeles lanza plan para combatir el crimen con clases de yoga.

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Published by
Verónica Silveri Pazos

Many communities in the country experienced a significant increase in violent crime in 2020. According to FBI data, murders increased by 30% compared to 2019 and "marked the largest growth in the number of murders in a single year since the agency began tracking crimes."

The report names the following issues as causes of this increase: "anti-police rhetoric from Black Lives Matter, defunding law enforcement, the pandemic, lawlessness promoted by progressive district attorneys and the Ferguson effect." Likewise, Patrick Yoes, President of the Fraternal Order of Police, believes that funding cuts to departments, and the mass exodus of officers have also contributed to this trend, and should be a wake-up call to the Biden Administration.

A Fox News analysis examined five cities across the country that have experienced ongoing crime problems this year. Almost all of them recorded record homicide figures and have one thing in common: higher rates of violent crime than pre-2020 levels.

New Orleans, Louisiana

In 2022, New Orleans was hit by a wave of violent crime. With 251 murders recorded this year, the city ranks first in the entire country with the highest homicide rate at a rate of five murders per week. The murders recorded so far represent an increase of more than 13% compared to 221 last year, and a 52% increase over those committed in 2019.

An earlier survey conducted last November found that crime was one of the top concerns of residents in New Orleans.

Kansas City, Missouri

Kansas City earned WalletHub's top spot for having the largest increase in its homicide rate compared to other places in the country. With 158 murders this year, it breaks the record for the second "bloodiest" year in the city's history, behind 2020, when 178 deaths were recorded.

Like other police departments across the country, Kansas City has faced staffing problems. New police chief Stacey Graves said that "reducing violent crime is a top priority" and that she will work on building "bridges" between the department and the community to make the city a safe place:

Reducing violent crime is a top priority through a citywide approach together to address the core problems of violent crime. This initiative encompasses city services, social service agencies, community, youth, area leaders (local, state, federal) and police.

Portland, Oregon

In the past year, Portland has drawn national attention for its crime problems. Citizens are concerned for their safety and have reported rampant drug use and homelessness. This year’s 93 homicides broke a state record.

Shooting incidents also increased in the city. There were 1,195 shootings this year between January and November, compared to 379 recorded in 2019. Experts attribute this increase to the pandemic closures that "changed people's daily lives," and the riots that spread across the country following the death of George Floyd.

The shortage of law enforcement in the city is constantly being criticized by its residents who want more officers on the streets. The police office claimed that it has been working to increase the number of personnel in recent years. According to Carol, a Portland resident:

With the police force overloaded, people think that now they can do anything (...) I feel that it won't always be like this, but right now we are in the middle of.... anarchy.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia recorded the highest number of homicides in its history last year with 561. In 2022, with 500 homicides, the rate dropped 7% compared to the 540 recorded during the same period in 2021. Although it may be showing an improvement in terms of homicides, when comparing the figures with those from 2019, the rate is 40% higher, and 80% higher compared to the figures from 2016.

The City of Brotherly Love also broke a record this year for the highest number of vehicle thefts ever recorded. In September, police revealed that in the first nine months of the year, there had been more than 1,000 car thefts.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Milwaukee will end 2022 by breaking its homicide record for the third consecutive year with 211 deaths. This is an increase compared to 193 in 2021 and 190 in 2020. Homicides have gone up 90% compared to 2019 (111 homicides).

Vehicle thefts this year also increased by almost 5%, with 390 thefts on the books, compared to 372 for all of 2021.

The police department has launched several initiatives to address crime, including implementing a program "that strategically deployed resources in designated areas" where shootings are consistently recorded:

The Milwaukee Police Department remains committed to providing public safety with the resources provided to us (...) We launched numerous initiatives to address high priority issues such as violent crime, reckless driving and auto theft, using our community partners as a force multiplier.
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