Crime Rates Plummet: Unprecedented Decline in Violent Crime

According to ADN, Anchorage, Alaska had a big surprise in 2020. The city saw a big drop in crimes like murder, assault, and theft. This is unusual because many other cities in the US were seeing an increase in these types of crimes.

Pandemic’s Impact on Crime: How COVID-19 Affected Anchorage’s Crime Rate

Police Chief Justin Doll thinks that the department’s efforts to stop violent crimes and the COVID-19 pandemic might have contributed to the decrease. Because of the pandemic, many places where people gather to socialize and drink were closed, which could have led to less crime.

READ ALSO: Houston Sees Dramatic Drop in Homicides and Violent Crimes in Early 2024

Domestic Violence During the Pandemic: A Growing Concern

Some people who help those affected by domestic violence said that they saw more people reaching out for help during the pandemic, but police didn’t see a big increase in reported assaults. This might be because victims of domestic violence often can’t leave their homes or seek help because they’re scared.

Solving Cold Cases: Anchorage Police’s New Initiative

The 18 people who were killed in Anchorage last year were often connected to drugs or domestic violence. Most of them were killed near their homes, and some were even killed by someone they knew.

The police department has a new team that reviews old, unsolved crimes to see if they can find new clues and solve them. This team helps families get answers and justice for the victims.

READ ALSO: Houston Sees Dramatic Drop in Homicides and Violent Crimes in Early 2024