By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
• The Los Angeles Police Department reported its homicide clearance rate increased to nearly 70% in 2025.
• Of 230 homicides recorded in city patrol areas last year, officials said 156, or 68%, were considered solved.
• Including cases from prior years cleared in 2025 pushed the rate above 100%.
• LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell discussed the figures at a press conference.
LOS ANGELES, CA — The Los Angeles Police Department reported on Thursday that its homicide clearance rate for 2025 rose to nearly 70%, with officials attributing the figure to solvings of both current-year and past homicides.
Genaro Molina/TNS
According to LAPD statistics, the department logged 230 homicides in areas it patrols last year, and 156 of those cases, or 68%, were considered solved by the department’s methodology, which includes arrests and other resolution factors.
When factoring in 78 homicide cases from previous years that were cleared in 2025, the department said the clearance rate exceeded 100%.
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell addressed the figures at a press conference, noting the department’s ongoing efforts to investigate killings and work with partner agencies.
Officials also reported the total number of homicides in Los Angeles in 2025 was the lowest in decades, reflecting broader trends in reductions in violent crime.
The department’s clearance rate reflects its internal standard for solving cases and does not depend on whether a case results in criminal charges or convictions.