Trump Says No Suspects Are Arrested In 68% Of Baltimore Murders, Police Confirm It’s True

Baltimore, MD – The Baltimore Police Department confirmed a statistic about the city’s homicide clearance rate that President Donald Trump had mentioned in a speech on Tuesday.

The Baltimore police said 32% of the city’s homicide cases had been cleared in 2019, according to WJZ.

In 2019, Baltimore had 348 homicides with a 32.1% clearance rate, the lowest rate in three decades, according to the Baltimore Sun.

The national homicide clearance rate in cities with a population of more than 500,000 was 57% in 2019, according to FBI data.

President Trump had mentioned the statistic in a speech on police reform.

“In many cases local law enforcement is underfunded understaffed, and under supported,” President Trump said in the speech, according to WJZ. “Forty seven percent of all murders in Chicago and 68% of all murders in Baltimore went without arrests last year.”

The Baltimore police said they are investing more money and effort into solving more murder cases, according to WJZ.

The city has hired 14 new police investigators, WJZ reported.

In 2020, the homicide clearance rate was 45%.

“The Baltimore Police Department recognizes the need to improve our Homicide clearance rate and continues to make the necessary changes to be more effective and efficient,” the department said, according to WJZ. “There have been several important improvements made which include not only increasing staffing levels and developing training, but implementing necessary accountability measures to improve investigations.”

“Improving the clearance rate involves collaboration with the community and other local, state, and federal partners which the Baltimore Police Department is committed to continue doing and expanding on,” the department statement continued.

“Overall, BPD recognizes the need for continuous improvement and is up for the challenge of changing this narrative. Our department embraces reforms because the residents of our city deserve a world-class police force that inspires trust, ensures safety and protects the constitutional rights of the people we serve. Rebuilding trust is critical to a safer Baltimore,” the statement finished.