Update on 1/2/12 — Arlington County has indeed recorded a murder-free year in 2011. It is the first year on record without a reported homicide in Arlington. Available police records started in 1960.

Earlier: If Arlington can go 36+ hours without a homicide, it will be the first year since at least the 1950s without a single recorded murder in Arlington County.

Available police records, which go back to 1960, show at least one homicide has been reported in each of the past 51 years. In fact, there have been 273 homicides in Arlington since 1960 — for an average of about 5.4 homicides per year.

The number of homicides in Arlington has declined since the early 1990s. In the six years between 1990 and 1995, there were 56 homicides in Arlington. Between 2006 and 2011, there have been 13 homicides, as illustrated below.

2006: 4

2007: 2

2008: 4

2009: 2

2010: 1

2011 (as of Dec. 29): 0

The District of Columbia is also experiencing a decline in murders. With 108 reported homicides as of Dec. 29, the District is on track to have the lowest murder tally since 1963.