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Although crime in Virginia increased from 2016 to 2017, crime in Henrico County is trending the opposite direction.
Last year, Henrico witnessed its crime rate continue a downward trend to its lowest rate in more than 30 years, though several categories of violent crime increased, according to the Virginia State Police's 2017 Crime in Virginia Report.
Overall, Henrico has experienced an 8.9-percent drop in crime since 2013, according to county and state statistics.
Among the specific types of crime that declined last year in Henrico: robbery and burglary. The county experienced an increase in rape, murder, larceny and motor vehicle theft. (Henrico Police officials also contend that the number of aggravated assaults decreased – to 167, the number they submitted to the state – but the state reported 323 such assaults in Henrico. (Virginia State Police UCR/IBR Manage Norman Westerberg told the Citizen that he had been in contact with Henrico Police officials regarding the discrepancy but couldn't yet account for the differences.)
Three magisterial districts – Three Chopt, Tuckahoe and Varina – experienced an overall decrease in their crime rates last year when compared to 2016.
"Our focus in examining crime countywide has resulted in the adoption of targeted focus areas, down to the neighborhood level, which tell us both where crime has occurred as well as give us specific geographic areas in which to deploy our resources,” said Henrico Police spokesman Lt. C. L. Garrett. “This targeted deployment has helped us interdict and deter criminal activity in these areas through the hard work of our patrol officers and other components within the Police Division.”
Three patrol stations in Henrico now each have a team of officers who direct their efforts solely toward issues that impact their specific regions, Garrett said. These DARTs (Directed Action Response Teams) work closely with other components within the division to address crime and quality of life issues specific to their regions.
“In our South and Central stations, we have conducted joint enforcement operations along the city/county line with our partners from the Richmond Police Department and the Virginia State Police,” Garrett said.
Last year brought a significant decrease in the number of automobile crashes along the West Broad Street corridor when compared with the previous years – during which many of the county's top 10 crash locations were along that corridor.
Though West Broad Street is maintained by the Virginia Department of Transportation, Henrico Police officials made a concerted effort to address trouble spots there and countywide, Garrett said.
“Officers focus enforcement efforts on high-accident intersections along West Broad Street and have conducted operations to address red light violations at intersections along this corridor,” he said.
The intersections in Henrico that witnessed the most crashes last year were Gay Avenue at South Laburnum Avenue in Eastern Henrico; Brook Road at East Parham Road in northern Henrico; and West Broad Street between Brownstone Boulevard and John Rolfe Parkway in Short Pump.
The Henrico County Police Division Crime Report showed an increase in total weapons seized and a significant increase in marijuana seized in 2017 compared to 2016.
“The Police Division increased its emphasis on criminal interdiction through traffic enforcement which has also led to more weapons seizures on traffic stops,” Garrett said. “The addition of the DART officers mentioned above has also increased the number of weapons and drugs that have been seized.”
During the past three years, Henrico officers have noticed a direct correlation between violent crime in Henrico and marijuana, so officers began targeting street-level dealers, Garrett said.
“Additionally, we began to work with our federal partners at HSI and the USPS to identify drug shipments being delivered in Henrico County,” he said. “This team identifies parcels, of illegal drugs (marijuana, hash, hash oils, wax) and investigates the delivery location and persons responsible for distribution. This accounts for the significant increase in marijuana seizures.”
Last year, Henrico reported 23 murder and nonnegligent manslaughter crimes, while Chesterfield reported only 10, and Hanover reported two. Richmond reported 69.
Henrico and Chesterfield each reported 160 cases of robbery, while Richmond reported 488 and Hanover reported 8.
Henrico reported 146 prostitution crimes, while Chesterfield (16), Richmond (20) and Hanover (2) reported significantly fewer.
