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Washington, D.C.'s crime rates have continued to skyrocket despite its
city council chairman proclaiming earlier this year there is no crime
crisis in the nation's capital.

Democratic D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson told the House Committee
on Oversight in late March that while there are considerable concerns
regarding crime, residents should not worry.

"With regard to crime, yes, there is considerable concern," Mendelson
said. "But while perception is important, the reality is less concerning.
Let me be clear: People should feel safe, and it is a problem that many residents of the district don't.

"I know this belies the common belief — and when it comes to crime, how
people feel is important — but there is not a crime crisis in Washington,
D.C."

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The hearing came after months of disputes between Congress and the D.C.
council over crime proposals. It also occurred just days after a staff
member for Republican Sen. Rand Paul was severely 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 much different picture than Mendelson's reassurances about the "reality" of where the city stands.

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According to data from the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, almost all crimes have soared from this time last year. As of Aug. 18, the nation's capital has experienced a 63% increase in robberies, a 27% increase in homicides, a 14% increase in sexual abuse and a 4% increase in assault
with a deadly weapon.

Violent crimes as a whole have skyrocketed 38%, the data shows.

The city has also witnessed property crimes increase by 29% over the past
year, including a 167% increase in arson, a 115% increase in motor vehicle theft and a 3% increase in burglaries.

The crime stats over the past year are also trending in the opposite
direction they had been from 2021 to 2022. During that time, there was a
dip in every crime category besides motor vehicle theft, which saw an 8% increase, according to the data.

"I was not denying the importance of public safety," Mendelson told Fox
News Digital. "The increase in crime is of course, a concern. But back in
March when I testified, Congressman Comer was suggesting a ‘crisis’ to
justify taking away the District’s Home Rule. I don’t agree with that. In
fact, Congress has gotten in the way of our efforts to fight crime by under-resourcing local prosecutions, cutting local police funding, and interfering with our ability to control illegal cannabis sales."

Democratic D.C. Councilmember Trayon White Sr. has also sung a much
different tune than Mendelson. White said in early August it might be time
to bring in the National Guard as the city continues to be hammered by
crime.

"The crime is out of control and getting worse by the day," White said at
a press conference earlier this month. "We must declare an emergency
regarding the crime and violence in our neighborhoods and act urgently. It
may be time to call on the National Guard to protect the children and
innocent people that are losing their lives to this senselessness.

"I am tired of burying our children. We are too comfortable with the state
of our city. We must take action to gain control and protect our
residents. Law enforcement is only one part of how we combat public safety issues. It will take all of us to heal our community."

This story has been updated to include Mendelson's comment.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dc-continues-experiencing-soaring-crime- despite-its-council-chairman-saying-there-is-no-crime-crisis

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