London’s homicide rates hit record low

WorldPolitics
12 Jan 2026 • 8:28 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • London recorded its lowest number of homicides in over a decade in 2025, with 97 cases, an 11 per cent decrease from the previous year and the lowest total since 2014.
  • The capital's homicide rate per capita, at 1.1 per 100,000 residents, is the lowest on record despite population growth, significantly undercutting rates in other major global cities.
  • Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley attributed the reduction to "relentless work," including increased arrests, innovative technology like live facial recognition, and targeted action against dangerous criminals.
  • The Met also highlighted a significant decrease in youth violence, with the fewest victims aged under 25 this century and a 73 per cent drop in teenage victims since 2021, supported by the Mayor's Violence Reduction Unit.
  • Despite these positive figures, a recent vetting review revealed 131 Met officers and staff committed crimes or misconduct due to improper vetting during a national recruitment drive between 2019 and 2023.

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