President Biden made the case Wednesday that he’s better equipped to handle the crime crisis in America’s cities, an issue that will be on top of voters’ minds when they head to the polls in November.
Speaking from the White House, Mr. Biden argued that his administration invested in local police and crime-plagued communities, bringing the nation’s overall homicide rate down.
“Since day one, my administration has been working with law enforcement, mayors and community leaders to do what we know works to keep people in the community safe,” he said.
His speech comes as he faces a wave of high-profile crimes attributed to illegal immigrants, including the slaying of a nursing student in Georgia, the death of a toddler in Maryland and the mob attack on cops in New York City.
Mr. Biden did not mention those cases, but he did say overall crime rates are declining thanks to his policies.
Later, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the administration could not specifically address the death of nursing student Laken Riley because it is an active case, referring reporters to local law enforcement. She declined to say if Mr. Biden would reach out to the family, but called the case “heartbreaking.”
In the speech, Mr. Biden said money in his COVID-19 relief package, known as the American Rescue Plan, allowed cities to spend federal dollars toward crime prevention efforts. All told, more than $15 billion from the package went to American cities to combat violent crime.
For example, Detroit and Chicago both invested more than $100 million in public safety initiatives, including hiring new officers, expanding mental health violence responses and youth intervention programs.
Chicago’s homicide rate dropped 13% in 2023 compared to the previous year, while Detroit last year posted an 18% decline in homicides compared to 2022.
“Because of the American Rescue Plan, we have the largest federal investment in fighting crime and preventing violent crime at any time in our history and that’s a big deal,” Mr. Biden said.
The president’s remarks came after he met with police chiefs from several cities that have seen a sharp decline in homicides since the COVID-19 pandemic. Police chiefs from Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit, Miami, New York, Buffalo and Charlotte were among those who met with the president at the White House.
AH Datalytics, which tracks homicide numbers across the country, analyzed public data from 177 cities and concluded that America’s homicide rate declined by 12% in 2023. Other forms of violent crime, including rape, aggravated assault and robbery also declined last year, according to AH Datalytics.
Still, the nation’s homicide rate remains much higher than it was in 2019 before crime surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. A study by the Council on Criminal Justice found that the homicide rate dipped by 10% between 2023 and 2022, but was 18% higher than it was in 2019.
However, several cities experienced a significant uptick in violent crime, even as it declined overall across the country. Violent crime in Washington increased by 39% last year, compared to 2022 and Kansas City recorded its deadliest year on record.
Other types of crimes such as auto theft and carjacking are on the rise.
Crime is one of the top priority issues for voters ahead of this year’s presidential election. Former President Donald Trump, who is expected to be the GOP presidential nominee, has accused Mr. Biden of “soft on crime policies” that have resulted in higher crime rates than before the pandemic.
Republicans placed crime front and center during the 2022 midterms, a strategy that helped them regain control of the House. However, they won fewer seats than expected in the House and Democrats gained a seat in the Senate.
“Violent crime is ravaging our cities because of Joe Biden and Democrats’ pro-criminal policies. For years, Democrats have refused to condemn destruction in our cities and called to defund the police. Now, in communities across America, homicide rates are higher, retail theft is crushing small businesses and police departments can’t find officers,” RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said in a statement.
Polls show that Mr. Biden is underwater with voters when it comes to the issue of crime. An average of several polls by Real Clear Polling shows that 54.7% of voters disapprove of Mr. Biden’s handling of the crime compared to 39% who approved.
An ABC/Ipsos poll released earlier this month found that more Americans trust Mr. Trump over Mr. Biden when it comes to dealing with crime, by a total of 41% to 28%.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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