Crime Rate Fell, But Murders Jumped in 2016: Report

WOODBRIDGE, VA — The overall crime rate is continuing to drop in Prince William County, but murders and traffic fatalities jumped sharply in 2016, as shown in annual figures released Thursday by the county's police chief, according to a media report.

Prince William's population rose to 449,864 as of July 2016, but its crime rate dropped from 16.9 per 1,000 residents in 2012 to 13.7 in 2016, says the Police Department's 2016 Crime Report. The crime rate is based on seven types of felonies — murder, rape, aggravated assault, robbery, burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft.

The report says the county saw 22 murders in 2016, more than twice the number in 2015. The previous record was 16, most recently in 2006, InsideNova reported.

Traffic fatalities rose to 27 in 2016, more than double 2015's total of 11, according to the report. Alcohol-related fatal crashes rose from two in 2015 to eight in 2016.

Police Chief Barry Barnard attributed the decline in Prince William's annual crime rate to community partners who assist the Police Department each day, according to InsideNova.

To see the complete 2016 Crime Report, click here.

Image: Prince William County Police Department