Report: Kentucky crime statistics undercounted 2022 homicides in the state’s most populous county

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Homicides in Kentucky’s most populous county were undercounted in a recent law enforcement report, but the higher number would still give the state a double-digit drop in homicides in 2022, according to a published report.

A statewide crime report said that 64 homicides were reported in Jefferson County, instead of the actual 164 reported by the Louisville Metro Police Department, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported Tuesday.

The statewide report, released last week, stated that homicides in Kentucky had dropped from 647 in 2021 to 431 last year. But adjusting for the undercount in Jefferson County, the actual 2022 total is 531.

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Leaving no other county homicide report figures unchanged beyond Jefferson County’s total, the state would still register a significant decrease of 17.9% instead of the reported 33.4% drop, the Lexington newspaper reported.

Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear last week touted the crime report, which showed double-digit declines in reports of homicides, robberies and drug offenses across the Bluegrass State.

LMPD said it’s aware of the “possible discrepancies” between its numbers and the data referenced in the report and was working with the state to resolve the issues, the newspaper reported.

A spokesperson for the Kentucky Justice & Public Safety Cabinet did not confirm whether an error had occurred somewhere down the line. “The information listed in the report is based on the data reported to the state by the commonwealth’s law enforcement agencies,” the spokesperson said.