How Philly turned the tide on homicides

Philadelphia police are closing homicide cases at a rate the city hasn’t seen in decades. The clearance rate has climbed to nearly 90%, a forty-year record high. Just a few years ago, the department was solving fewer than half of the city’s murders.

What’s behind this dramatic shift? Crime is down since its pandemic peak, allowing detectives to devote more attention to each case. Technology is also playing a role. A wider network of surveillance cameras, improved data-sharing between units, and new forensic tools have allowed the police to collect better evidence for investigations.   

This hour, we’ll examine what’s driving the high clearance rate, how these trends are shaping day-to-day policing, and what the numbers can – and can’t – tell us about safety in the city. We’ll also hear from a resident who is still waiting for justice for their brother’s killing.

Guests:

Frank Vanore, deputy commissioner of the Philadelphia Police Department

Ellie Rushing, criminal justice reporter at The Philadelphia Inquirer

Brett Roman Williams, board chair of the Anti-Violence Partnership