ComPol: 2022 Has Fewer Murders Than Previous Years, So Far

Chester Williams

You might be surprised to hear that the murder rate for this year is so far below what it was at this same time in recent years. But when we spoke with Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams on Wednesday, he indicated to us that yes, 2022 is not as murderous as previous years, so far.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“While our numbers are up compared to last year and 2020, if we were to compare our number this year to 2019, 2018, 2017, and even perhaps 2016, our numbers are down compared to those years. And you’d know that 2020 was the year when we had one of the lowest murder rates with one hundred and four. Then 2021, last year, we had a hundred and twenty-five. I still believe that we can beat last year’s number and we’re going to work diligently to do that. But again, we have to understand that many of these crimes that are occurring – these murders – are not murders that can be prevented by the police. We have some very stupid murders. You try your arduous best to prevent the gang murders and then you see the domestic ones popping up here, there and everywhere and those are the ones that often times really hurt because you know you’re doing your best to stop those that are somewhat preventable and then the unpreventable ones just pops up on you so it’s frustrating at times.”