DENVER (KDVR) — Denver’s violent crime doesn’t appear to be falling, according to Denver Police Department data.
The city’s violent crime rates had increased for the better part of a decade before 2020. That year, Denver’s violent crime spiked along with other U.S. cities.
Data showed that the early months of 2023 have had as many violent crimes as in 2022 when Denver’s violent crime peaked. In 2022, Denver clocked just over 5,000 incidents of aggravated assault, robbery and murder – the highest levels in decades.
Last year’s violent crime saw a 43% increase compared to 2018. On average, there were 417 violent crimes per month, up 42% from the average in 2018.
This includes two months of record violent crime totals. In both July and October of 2022, there were more violent crimes than in any month in the previous five years.
Data is still coming in for February’s crimes, but the number of violent crimes this year through Feb. 27 is even with the same time period as last year’s record violent crime.
There were 704 murders, aggravated assaults and robberies through January and February last year. This year, there have been 697.
The winter violent crime totals match the yearly trends. The early 2023 violent crime totals mark a 42% increase from 2018 in the same months.
Source: KDVR News
