Thirteen Cities Broke Homicide Records in 2021 as Police Face Shortages, Budget Cuts

After 13 cities broke their homicide records in 2021, politicians and police departments find themselves trying to answer the million-dollar question: Why?

Experts say staffing shortages from police retirements and resignations driven by a wave of anti-police sentiment, as well as bail reform, declining arrests, and hardships from the pandemic have coalesced to create a climate of increased crime around the country. Still, there is no clear one-size-fits-all answer for every city seeing a surge in crime.

Toledo, Ohio, recorded 62 homicides as of mid November, beating a previous record set in...