Washington Crime Falls in 2024—But Drug Offenses Spike

Washington saw a drop in overall crime in 2024, according to the state’s latest annual crime report.

The Crime in Washington report, released by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, shows murders were down nearly 19%. Violent crime fell 7.6%, and property crime dropped more than 13%, with fewer car thefts and less vandalism helping drive the trend.

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Crimes against people also ticked down slightly, though nearly half of those were related to domestic violence.

But not everything is headed in the right direction—so-called “crimes against society,” which include drug offenses and weapons violations, jumped 31% compared to last year.

And even with fewer crimes overall, Washington is still facing a big challenge: a major shortage of police officers.

The state ranks dead last in the nation for police staffing, with just 1.38 officers for every 1,000 residents. That’s well below the national average of 2.31.