Logan Circle crime drops nearly 20% from 2023

Jennifer Maloney, who’s lived in a row home facing Logan Circle since August of 2020, doesn’t doubt her safety as she walks home from work in the dark almost daily.

“As long as I’m comfortable walking around by myself at all hours, I’m OK,” Maloney said. “I don’t really worry about it too much.”

Not only does she feel safer, but the Logan Circle area has seen a 30% drop in violent crime and nearly 20% decrease in overall crime from 2023 to 2024.

Logan Circle Community Association president Karen Franklin attributes this decrease to Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto’s crime-prevention bill from early March.

“Of course, we are pleased with the numbers and are hoping they continue to go down,” Franklin said.

The legislation, known as Secure D.C., prioritizes prevention and ending cycles of violence, accountability for crime and government coordination and oversight. Highlights include establishing new felony offenses for gun penalties and strangulation, drug-free zones, gun tracking and more access to police body-worn-camera footage.

From 2023 to 2024, there was a 30% decrease in violent crimes and about 17% decrease in property crimes in the 2F Advisory Neighborhood Commission jurisdiction. (Data reflects Jan. 1 through Dec. 7 each year for consistency.)

There were 60 violent crimes in the area in 2023 and 42 in 2024. For property crimes, there were 729 in 2023 and 604 in 2024.

Despite the decrease, the neighborhood has still found itself in headlines for recent crimes — notably, a $30,000 merchandise heist in September and a shooting last week near Shake Shack on 14th Street.

Maloney said she feels like there’s less concern among neighbors over day-to-day incidents. However, she still acknowledges there are shootings and drunk-driving-related car accidents in the area.

“We’ve seen more of that, but I’m less concerned just walking around,” Maloney said. “I don’t really know why. It’s just a feeling.”

Audrey Gaitley, who works at Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, described the shop’s 14th Street location as in a “rowdy” area.

“I know there is a decrease [in crime], but I haven’t felt any safer really,” Gaitley said.

Nico Lewin, who lives in the area and practices tightrope at the Logan Circle park, said he hasn’t felt a decrease either. He said he sees property crimes as more of a threat than violent ones and doesn’t feel unsafe in his neighborhood. 

“You see a lot of break ins, especially into cars in the area,” Lewin. “I don’t think it affects me that much; I don’t have a car, but I guess it’s more of what you see. I don’t hear about much violent crime in the area.”

From 2023 to 2024, car break-ins decreased from 184 to 132, and motor vehicle theft decreased from 70 to 48. In the Secure D.C. bill, vehicle-related crimes are addressed through the expansion of the definition of carjacking to improve prosecution.

Maloney describes safety in D.C. as “on par” with other big cities. Her home city of St. Louis, Missouri, though, was of greater concern.

“People are afraid to go to the ballgame and afraid to go downtown [in St. Louis,” Maloney said. “I don’t feel that here. They’re more concerned with people breaking into their cars, more concerned with all of that kind of stuff.”