Published on: Thursday, January 05, 2012

By Jim Davis

Despite a record number of homicides last January, overall crime was down in 2011, Prince George’s County Police Department officials said.

The county recorded 94 homicides in 2011— up four from 90 homicides in 2010, according to county police.

In January 2011, homicides spiked to 17. There were five homicides in January the previous year.

“In January, we had an inordinate spike in homicides. It’s an anomaly,” said Julie Parker, county police spokesperson.

Several of these January homicides were believed to be drug-related, which was the case on Jan. 12, 2011, when University of Maryland student Justin Vance Desha-Overcash, 22, became the 15th homicide victim that month.

During investigation, county police officers located a quantity of marijuana sufficient to indicate an intent to distribute along with a digital scale and drug packaging materials in Overcash’s home.

Police reports show the Langley Park, Hillcrest Heights, Glassmanor, Riverdale and Suitland areas of the county had the highest crime rates. Many of the crimes committed in these areas are drug related, including shootings, burglaries and assaults.

In the Langley Park area, police on average responded to a shooting or a violent assault — such as a stabbing —once a week. This is also the case in the Hillcrest Heights and Glassmanor areas. In a period of 48 hours, homicide detectives were called to the 1000 and 900 block of Marcy Avenue in Glassmanor for two homicides.

Statewide, homicide figures have been on the decline for several years. Maryland saw a total of 426 homicides in 2010 — the lowest ranking since 1986, according to data from the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention. There were 440 homicides the year before, down from 493 in 2008.

“Even though the homicide rate is up, overall crime is down by 10.4 percent in the county from last year,” said Cpl. Evan Baxter, Prince George’s County Police Department spokesperson.

“Violent crime — which includes homicide, rape, robbery and assault — is down 12 percent from last year, and property crime — such as burglaries and stolen vehicles — is down by 10.1 percent from last year,” Baxter added.

Since Mark Magaw became Prince George’s County Police Chief, the chief and patrol officers have gone into the community to meet residents face-to-face to discuss problems within the community and to come up with remedies.

In areas of the county such as Langley Park, Hillcrest Heights, Glassmanor, Riverdale and Suitland, the chief has increased police presence as a strategy that may help to reduce crime.