Harford County sees rise in crime in 2022

Jan. 27—Harford County saw a rise in crime in 2022 from the prior year, according to data from local law enforcement agencies.

The Maryland State Police Bel Air Barrack recorded a combined total of 186 murders, rapes, burglaries, thefts, auto thefts, aggravated assaults and robbery crimes. These classified Part 1 crimes were up 20.7% from 154 recorded crimes in 2021. A specific breakdown per crime was not provided.

The local Bel Air Police Department, also recorded a significant rise in Part 1 crimes in 2022, up 33.7% with 226 compared to 169 in 2021.

The Bel Air Police Department's largest reported increases came in felony assaults, robberies and larceny. Fifteen felonious assaults, which include physical assault resulting in serious injury, kidnapping or rape, were recorded in 2022, up from six recorded in 2021; four robberies were recorded in 2022, up from one in 2021; and 197 crimes of larceny (defined as theft of personal property) were recorded in 2022, up 30.4% from 151 in 2021.

Bel Air's numbers for criminal homicide (none), breaking and entering (seven) and motor vehicle theft (two) stayed the same from 2021 to 2022. The number of forcible rapes decreased from two to one from 2021 to 2022.

The Aberdeen Police Department also recorded an increase in Part 1 crimes from 2021 to 2022; the 481 recorded crimes in 2022 was up 22.7% from 392 in 2021.

Aberdeen's most significant increases were in aggravated assaults and larceny: the 78 assaults in 2022 represented a 34.4% hike from 58 in 2021; the 317 larceny reports were up 25.7% from the 252 in 2021. The city also had one homicide in 2022 after having zero in 2021. Rapes decreased from 13 in 2021 to seven.

The Havre de Grace Police Department also recorded significant rises in assaults and thefts. The 70 assaults in 2022 marked a 70.7% rise from 41 in 2021; thefts rose 72.7%, from 110 in 2021 to 190.

The Harford County Sheriff's Office reported a decrease in homicides, falling from six in 2021 to five in 2022.

Sheriff Jeff Gahler noted that it's difficult to compare statistics, since the sheriff's office now uses the FBI's National Incident-Based Reporting System to record crimes. That system uses more categorizations and different definitions of crimes than Uniform Crime Reporting, which is used by the Aberdeen Police Department and others.

"It's going to take years to work this mess out," Gahler said.

Gahler said that while the subsiding of the COVID-19 pandemic had a partial effect on the rise in county crime, he saw the main cause of the increase being the "crime friendly" state legislature, pointing to the Justice Reinvestment Act, a 2016 state law that aimed to reduce Maryland's prison population and invest in crime prevention.

"I think all this contributes to increasing crime," Gahler said. "Sadly, I think it's government actions that are leading us down a path of more crime."

Gahler said that newly inducted Harford County Executive Bob Cassilly was a "voice of law and order and reasonableness" during his time in the state legislature.

"As county executive, it's my hope that that's where he stays committed," Gahler said. "I have no reason to suspect any different."

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In a statement Friday, Cassilly said public safety is, in fact, one of his top priorities for the county.

"Harford County is very fortunate to have a first-rate criminal justice team in Sheriff Gahler and his deputies, our municipal law enforcement officers, State's Attorney Healey and her team, and our courts," Cassilly said. "I am honored to be able to support the amazing work they all do to keep our county safe."

Gahler said that he has noticed an increase in heroin overdoses in the county, as well as theft of specific items such as catalytic converters and dirt bikes.

The trend in the number of reported DUIs varied by department. Maryland State Police and the Bel Air Police Department reported decreases from 2021 to 2022 in DUIs: The state police reported 341 in 2022, slightly down from 347 in 2021, while Bel Air reported 16 in 2022, down from 19 in 2021.

The Havre de Grace Police Department, the Aberdeen Police Department and the county sheriff's office, however, reported increases in DUIs. Havre de Grace reported 20 DUIs in 2022, up from 12 in 2021; Aberdeen reported 24 in 2022, slightly up from 23 in 2021; and the sheriff's office reported 341 in 2022, up 8.2% from 315 in 2021.

Despite increasing crime numbers, Gahler said Harford County is still a safer community than other nearby areas.

"Our numbers speak to a very safe community overall," he said. "I think it speaks to the quality of policing here in the county."