🚨 What You Should Know from MCPD's 2025 Annual Report

Montgomery County just released its 2025 Annual Report on Crime and Safety, and it's a dense 67-page document. We read all of it so you don't have to. Here's what actually matters for your neighborhood, plus a few things you can do right now to help keep your community safe.

📉 The Big Picture: Crime Is Down

Overall crime in Montgomery County dropped 9% in 2025 compared to the year before. Crimes against persons (homicides, assaults, shootings) fell 10%, and crimes against property (burglaries, robberies, auto theft) fell 13%. The per capita crime rate across MCPD's six districts fell from 3,792 per 100,000 people to 3,458. That's real, meaningful progress.

A few categories did tick up. Homicides rose from 20 to 24, though the clearance rate was strong: arrests were made in 88% of cases. Gang-related violent crime increased 11%, with youth responsible for 58% of gang-related incidents. And non-fatal shooting incidents rose slightly, from 188 to 197.

🚁 Drones Are Becoming First Responders (Seriously)

One of the most striking things in the report is the scale of MCPD's Drone as First Responder program. The department's RAVEN drones flew 2,123 missions in 2025. They were the first to arrive on scene 76% of the time. They helped locate or stop nearly 1,000 subjects across the county. And in 243 calls, the drone resolved the situation before a patrol car even needed to show up.

The program now covers four of the county's six police districts, including the 2nd District (Bethesda), 3rd District (Silver Spring), 4th District (Wheaton), and 6th District (Gaithersburg/Montgomery Village). In 2026, MCPD plans to transition to dock-based drones, which will extend flight hours and reduce costs.