Data shows the 2021 Huntsville homicide rate was the highest it's been since 2018. Some are worried the city's growth will mean more crime in the area, but officials say that's not necessarily the case.
In 2021, Huntsville recorded 25 homicides. That is the most since 2018, when Huntsville had 29. However, when considering how much the city has grown since 2018, the numbers may not be as bad as they seem.
"With our increase in population, I think we could argue that it鈥檚 actually a decrease. Because, if you look at it comparatively, our numbers are actually lower than they were based on our population," said Deputy Chief Dewayne McCarver of Huntsville Police Department.
While McCarver said one homicide is one too many, he shared a number that he is especially pleased about when solving homicide investigations: Huntsville's 100% clearance rate.
"There is not one unsolved homicide," he said.
McCarver called it "a real testament to the hard work of our investigators," as well as to the work of crime analysts and the community.
"In Huntsville, people aren鈥檛 afraid to call and let us know things," said McCarver.
As Huntsville sits atop the state as the biggest city in Alabama, the Rocket City鈥檚 2021 homicide numbers were significantly lower than Birmingham (132), Montgomery (77) and Mobile (51).
Montgomery and Mobile both experienced all-time highs in 2021.
As Huntsville continues to grow and expand, McCarver said, they'll continue to do everything they can to continue to keep these numbers as low as possible. Prior to Covid, homicide rates typically ranged between the high teens and low 20s, according to McCarver.
