Baltimore's Crime Drop: What's Really Behind the Numbers?

In 2025, Baltimore saw a big drop in violent crime. The number of homicides went down to 133, the lowest in almost 50 years. This is a big deal because the last time the city had fewer than 150 homicides was in 1977. Non-fatal shootings also went down by 24%, from 412 in 2024 to 311 in 2025. The city's leaders are happy about this progress. They say it's because of the hard work of the police, community violence interrupters, and the people of Baltimore. The mayor and police commissioner said that even though 133 homicides are still too many, they are seeing the positive impact of their work. They also said that it takes everyone to make the city safer.The drop in crime started in 2022. 2025 was only the fifth year since 1970 that Baltimore had fewer than 200 homicides. It was also the first time since 1978 that the city had back-to-back years with fewer than 200 homicides. The city had four record-low homicide months in 2025: February, April, August, and October. The police department says that hiring more officers and keeping them has helped. They also say that reforms and better technology have made a difference. Carjackings went down by 37%, and commercial robberies went down by 16%. The overall robbery clearance rate went up to 44%. The police department hired 241 new officers in 2025, a 47% increase from 2024. They also had a historic low attrition rate, with only 158 officers leaving, a 14% reduction from 2024. The police commissioner said that public safety is their top priority and that they are proud of the progress they have made.