The Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia released its preliminary crime statistics for 2023 on Tuesday, revealing a startling increase in violence and a surge in homicide that hasn’t been seen in the nation’s capital since 1997.

The District of Columbia saw a 35 percent increase in homicides, 67 percent increase in robberies, and an 82 percent increase in motor-vehicle theft in 2023. Total violent crime increased by 39 percent, and property crime increased by 24 percent. 

The city had 274 homicides, 3,470 robberies, 1,092 burglaries, 6,829 motor vehicle thefts, 1,407 assaults with a dangerous weapon, and 13,349 other instances of theft. According to U.S. census data, the population of the District of Columbia is nearly 679,000 people. 

In 2020, the D.C. Council slashed $15 million from the Metropolitan Police Department budget. In 2022, the D.C. Council approved just over $526 million for the Metropolitan Police Department for the 2023 fiscal year, which was 1.7 percent less than fiscal year 2022 once adjusted for inflation. 

The Metropolitan Police Department announced its new Chief Equity Officer position in 2022 and named Pamela Smith to the position, whose role was to direct the department’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. Under Smith’s leadership, the DEI team was involved in conducting an Metropolitan Police Department Cultural Assessment survey, revising the Vision, Mission, and Value Statements to “reflect DEI priorities,” creating DEI-specific training, and launching a diversity and inclusion committee and resource group, according to a report by the Metropolitan Police Department. 

The Metropolitan Police Department created the “Director of Employee Well-being” position and an accompanying staff following the “the profound impact [that] January 6th had on member’s [sic] health and well-being.”

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s proposed 2024 fiscal year budget supported an additional six full-time DEI and wellness positions to expand the police department’s DEI work. Bowser did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication. 

The Metropolitan Police Department did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.