Silicon Valley viewed from Mountain View, Calif. East Palo Alto, once known as the “murder capital” of the U.S., recorded zero murders in 2023.
David Pu’u/Getty Images
In a statement, police Chief Jeff Liu congratulated the department on what he called a momentous milestone. “Your collective commitment to safety and unity has transformed our city, evolving from the challenges of 1992 when we faced 42 murders, to now, a community that stands resilient and stronger than ever,” he said. “I extend my deepest gratitude to each and every one of you for your invaluable partnership in fostering a safer and thriving East Palo Alto.”
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A 1993 Los Angeles Times article about East Palo Alto’s staggering homicide figures says the city just over Highway 101 from wealthy Palo Alto was “cursed” by “a flourishing drug trade” and “violent gang wars” at the time. Those problems were exacerbated by the city’s budget woes — the police department had just 37 officers on staff.
The article said half the city’s homicides in 1992 were drug related, and that 70% of those killed were engaged in some sort of criminal activity at the time of their death.
“It’s not a shock, but it’s very disappointing,” homicide Detective Tom Alipio told the outlet at the time. “We’d certainly rather be known for something other than murder.”
San Mateo County officials attribute a 60% drop in the city’s violent crime rate between 1990 and 2017 to a federal crackdown on crime and a number of factors. Those include the adoption of a community-based policing approach by law enforcement and the replacement of several old bars and liquor stores with development projects of offices, a shopping center and a Four Seasons Hotel.
Additionally, longtime residents have complained that a pattern of gentrification in the city over the past two decades has driven up homes prices and forced many to leave. According to city data, the median home price in East Palo Alto was $262,500 in February of 2012. By January 2021, that figure had jumped to $947,500, an increase of 261%.
For comparison, East Palo Alto saw six homicides in both 2020 and 2021, and five in 2022, according to East Palo Alto police.
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The news comes as the nation recorded its largest drop in annual homicides at the end of last year. ABC News reported that the number of homicides last year dropped by 13% compared with 2022 figures. Before last year, the largest annual drop in homicides was recorded in 1996, when the U.S. saw a 9% decrease, the outlet said.