London has recorded its lowest murder rate in more than a decade, following a sustained police offensive against organised crime gangs and the wider deployment of facial recognition technology across the capital.
A Significant Drop in Homicides
Official figures released by the Metropolitan Police on Monday show there were 97 homicides in London in the year to January 2026. This marks a notable 11 per cent decrease from the 109 murders recorded in 2024 and a substantial improvement from 2021, a peak year which saw 133 people killed.
The statistics reveal particularly encouraging progress in reducing violence involving young people. In 2021, a record 30 teenagers were among the homicide victims. By contrast, only eight teenagers lost their lives in such circumstances in 2025.
Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley stated that the force's focused strategy on curbing violence against women and girls (VAWG) has been a major contributing factor to the overall decline. The current murder rate now stands at 1.1 person per 100,000, the lowest since records began and significantly below figures for New York (2.8) and Berlin (3.2).
Relentless Policing and Innovative Technology
Commissioner Rowley credited the achievement to "relentless work" by officers, which included making an average of 1,000 more arrests per month in the past year. A key operational focus has been dismantling 'county lines' drug networks, which are often a source of weapons and inter-gang violence that fuels the murder rate. This effort led to 1,600 arrests of suspected county lines affiliates.
Technological innovation has played a crucial role. The expanded use of live facial recognition technology has helped solve more crimes, while evidence gathered from suspects' mobile phones and devices contributed to a 95 per cent clear-up rate for murders last year. The Met and the Home Office are now planning to further broaden the use of facial recognition by utilising thousands of images from the police custody database.
Prevention and Targeting High-Harm Individuals
Beyond enforcement, a multi-agency approach to prevention has been vital. The Mayor's Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), established in 2019, has worked with schools and youth groups to steer young people away from serious violence and knife crime.
Police have also maintained a sharp focus on the most dangerous individuals. The V100 list, which identifies the 100 men deemed the greatest threat to women in London, has enabled targeted action against these "high-harm" offenders, further helping to drive down the homicide rate.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said: "It’s clear that our sustained focus on being both tough on crime and tough on the complex causes of crime is working." He highlighted the investment in the VRU and more than doubling City Hall's funding for policing to boost officer numbers and target the worst offenders. However, he added, "We are not complacent. One death will always be one too many."
While celebrating the progress, Commissioner Rowley struck a determined note: "Every murder is a tragedy, but we will continue to use every tool at our disposal to drive down serious violence. This work will not stop, and neither will our determination to keep Londoners safe."
