Dupont: Violent Crime Down, Total Crime Flat in 2009

The final 2009 numbers are in for Police Service Area (PSA) 208, which covers the Dupont Circle area. The number of total crimes was flat: 2,310 crimes in 2009 compared to 2,308 in 2008. Looking back at four complete years of numbers, the number of crimes was 8% higher in 2009 than in 2006.

Violent Crime Down 10%

Violent crime was down 10% in the Dupont area from 2008 and down 11% from 2006. In terms of street crime–burglaries and assaults–the numbers were slightly encouraging for the Dupont area. Robberies and assaults constituted 11% of total crimes in the Dupont area in 2009. There were no homicides last year compared to two in 2008.

The number of robberies (with and without a gun) was 177 in 2009 compared to 189 in 2008, 197 in 2007 and 172 in 2006. The number of Assaults with a Deadly Weapon (with and without a gun) dropped more noticeably than robberies, from 77 in 2008 to 66 in 2009.

Gun crimes are robberies and assaults committed with a gun and they dropped ever so slightly in PSA 208 in 2009. There were 41 gun crimes last compared to 42 in 2008–far better than the 60 in 2007 and 57 in 2006.

Property Crime Up 1%

However, property crime increased 1% from 2008 and is up 10% since 2006. Property crimes accounted for 89% of total crimes in PSA 208 last year.

The increases in property crimes in 2009 were attributable to the 11% increase in in thefts, which were 45% of total crimes. Thefts from autos (32% of total crimes) and burglaries (7% of total crimes) were down in 2009. After skyrocketing 38% in 2008, the number of thefts from autos declined 3% in 2009.

A detailed chart with crime numbers by year is below the fold.

Dupont / PSA 208 Total Crime 2006 – 2009

• 2,145 crimes in 2006
• 2,153 crimes in 2007 (less than 1% increase from 2006)
• 2,308 crimes in 2008 (7% increase from 2007)
• 2,310 crimes in 2009 (less than 1% increase from 2008 and an 8% increase from 2006).

PSA 208 Crime Stats for 2006 – 2009

Crime Type	2006	2007	2008	2009
Homicide	1	0 (-100%)	2 (+200%)	0 (-100%)
Sex Abuse	2	11 (+450%)	8 (-27%)	6 (-25%)
Robbery Excluding Gun	123	139 (+13%)	151 (+9%)	138 (-9%)
Robbery With Gun	49	58 (+18%)	38 (-34%)	39 (+3%)
Assault with a Dangerous Weapon Excluding Gun	49	79 (+61%)	73 (-8%)	64 (-12%)
Assault with a Dangerous Weapon With Gun	8	2 (-75%)	4 (+100%)	2 (-50%)
Total Violent Crime	279	289 (+4%)	276 (-4%)	249 (-10%)
Burglary	233	175 (-25%)	190 (+9%)	170 (-11%)
Theft	797	953 (+20%)	927 (-3%)	1033 (+11%)
Theft From Auto	644	566 (-12%)	770 (+38%)	750 (-3%)
Stolen Auto	191	168 (-12%)	143 (-15%)	108 (-24%)
Arson	1	2 (+100%)	2 (NC)	0 (-100%)
Total Property Crime	1,866	1,864 (<1%)	2,032 (+9%)	2,061 (+1%)
Total Crime	2,145	2,153 (<1%)	2,308 (+7%)	2,310(<1%)