[Archived] Alexandria Police Department Announces Decrease in Reported Part I Crimes in 2017

For Immediate Release: May 24, 2018

The Alexandria Police Department has announced that the total of reported Part I crime decreased 13 percent in Alexandria for calendar year 2017 versus 2016.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation divides offenses into Part I and Part II crimes. Part I crimes are considered more serious because they include crimes against people. Statistics from 2017 show some of the lowest levels of reported Part I crimes in Alexandria since the 1960s. It is important to note Alexandria generally has a low crime rate and a lower number of criminal incidents. As such, small fluctuations in incidents when comparing annual data can lead to larger percentage changes.   

All but one type of reported Part I crimes in Alexandria dropped in 2017, including homicide, rape, robbery, larceny, and auto theft. The only increase was seen in aggravated assaults. Investigation and analysis has shown that in a majority of the cases, the people involved were known to each other.

Calls for service increased significantly in 2017, from 68,610 to 91,380.  The increase was primarily due to more consistent reporting of traffic stops as calls for service, and additional traffic stops made in support of the City’s Vision Zero traffic safety initiative.