SPOKANE, Wash. — A report this week from the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs shows violent crimes increased nearly 9% across the state of Washington in 2022.
The state documented 394 murders last year, the highest number recorded since WASPC began collecting data in 1980.
"You can see that sharp upward trend starting in 2019 that we were hoping would begin to trend downward. In 2022 it did not," WASPC Executive Director Steven Strachan said.
But, Strachan says context is important. Washington's population has increased over the years.
"We talk about this last year but I want to be clear," Strachan said. "Rate, in other words, incidents per 1,000 when you factor in population is still slightly lower than it was in 1994. That's not good news. I just want to be clear the murder rate in 1994 was slightly higher when there was a higher rate of homicides."
Last year, car thefts increased 34% across the state.
"Another way to say that is more than 12,000 more cars were stolen in 2022 than 2021," Strachan said.
More than 134,000 people were arrested in Washington. 16.4 of all arrests were DUI related.
According to the report, an estimated $669 million worth of property was reported stolen in 2022 with an estimated $180 million recovered..
The Spokane Police Department (SPD) reported $24 million in stolen property with $60,000 worth recovered.
When it comes to aggravated assault, the state crime rate per 1,000 people was 2.5.
In the city of Spokane, it's 4.6.
Seattle has an aggravated assault rate of 5.4, according to the report.
Spokane police recorded a decrease in rape, arson and no contact order violations. The department saw an increase in robbery, burglary and vehicle theft. 18 people were murdered in 2022 compared to 15 in 2021.
All of this information will be shared with the FBI and will become part of their national crime report, which will be published this fall.
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