By Allison Klein
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, April 13, 2006

Prince George's County, which has experienced a sharp jump in violent crime over the past five years, recorded a significant drop during the first quarter of this year, police officials said yesterday.

Homicides, the most visible of the crimes, have decreased from 40 this time last year to 25 this year. The decline is notable, especially because the number of homicides increased 140 percent from 2000 to 2005, with an all-time high of 173 killings last year.

Rapes, robberies, carjackings and property crime are also down in the first quarter of the year, which ended April 3, police said.

"We may have been down, but we were never out," Police Chief Melvin C. High said at a morning news conference. "This department has come back from a time of disrepair."

High attributed the recent success to strategies put into effect last year that are gaining traction. They include creation of specialized units that targeted problem areas such as car thefts, carjackings and general violence along the D.C. border.

He also redeployed administrative workers to patrol and reconfigured beats to increase police presence in neighborhoods. High said his strategy combines a number of approaches, so he cannot point to one factor that made the difference.

"The first phase was getting the tactics right, understanding what we needed to do tactically," High said. "The second phase is looking at things that work best and continuing them, as well as acquiring more resources."

During the first quarter of this year compared with the same time last year, rapes are down 16 percent, commercial robberies are down 34 percent and carjackings are down 23 percent. Auto thefts have declined by 18 percent.

Percy Alston, president of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 89, said lower crime is good for residents and officers, but he added that he is hesitant to declare a trend.

"I'm happy crime is down in Prince George's County," Alston said. "I'm cautiously optimistic with today's news conference. While the numbers are good, we have to do this on a sustained basis for the rest of the year."

At the news conference, High commended his command staff, saying "ultimately, it comes down to the leadership of the great men and women of this department."

The police force, which has been chronically understaffed through the years, has 1,350 officers but is authorized to have 1,420. The administration has made hiring a priority, and a class of 100 trainees is graduating from the academy in July.

High said the crime-fighting strategy will be adjusted in the summer months, because warm weather traditionally brings more crime both locally and across the country.

Assistant Chief Roberto Hylton, head of patrol services, said investigators have been focused on targeting suspicious people walking in neighborhoods and driving in cars.

"If you come to Prince George's County to commit a crime, we're going to arrest you," Hylton said.

High pointed to some important case closures this year, including the case of several teenagers who were kidnapped and forced to rob suburban Maryland banks.

Detectives also closed the case of two women in their seventies who were slain in a Suitland flower shop in 2003. Police say a DNA match led investigators to Adam I. Neal, 24, who was in prison.

Elsie Jacobs, president of the Suitland Civic Association, said that arrest was very important to the community. She also said yesterday that she has noticed less criminal activity in Suitland.

"Crime is down in Suitland, it really is," Jacobs said. "At one time we had a whole lot of people getting killed. We haven't had any homicides this year. People are happy. The chief has worked through this thing. I think they have finally figured it out."

This year, the homicide unit has closed 84 percent of its cases, compared with 70 percent at this time last year. The robbery closure rate is 43 percent, compared with 10 percent during the first quarter of 2005.

Crime has long been a major issue in the county, with the numbers swelling from 2000 to 2005. During that time, robbery and car thefts each rose by 76 percent, and carjacking jumped by 175 percent.