Chuck Todd speaks with New York Times reporter German Lopez about America's inability to solve murder cases and how policing can be made better and more effective.
In part two of this two-part special of the Chuck Toddcast, Chuck sits down with New York Times reporter German Lopez to explore one of America's most pressing criminal justice challenges: why police solve far fewer murder cases than their international counterparts. Lopez, breaks down the complex factors behind America's low homicide clearance rates, from resource allocation and detective shortages to the critical role of community trust. The conversation reveals how departments struggle with everything from evidence analysis—which isn't nearly as straightforward as television suggests —to the stark disparities in solve rates for cases involving Black victims.
The discussion moves beyond statistics to examine real-world solutions and the political realities of police reform. Lopez explains how high-crime communities often want more effective policing rather than less, while politicians frequently weaponize public sentiment instead of funding proven solutions. From exploring whether the FBI should play a larger role in murder investigations to discussing how journalism can better cover criminal justice issues outside major metropolitan areas, this wide-ranging conversation offers both sobering insights into America's murder problem and hope for evidence-based reforms that could save lives.
Finally, he answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.
Timeline:
00:00 Introduction
01:00 DC is much safer today than it was in the 90s
03:30 German Lopez joins the Chuck Toddcast!
05:15 Lack of law enforcement resources towards solving homicides
06:15 Other countries have much higher rates of solving murder cases
08:15 It's possible police are more focused on preventive policing
09:45 The chance of leaving evidence is higher than ever
11:00 We have better tools than ever for solving cases
12:45 Analyzing evidence isn't as easy as TV makes it look
15:00 How many murders are gang related?
16:30 Lack of trust in minority communicates leads to lower solve rates
18:00 It feels much worse in high crime communities than the statistics
21:00 We haven't best targeted police resources
24:00 There are plenty of solutions available, politicians have to fund them
25:45 The clearance rate for cases with black victims are much lower
27:30 What would it take to make Louisville's PD better?
29:00 Departments struggle to find officers in communities with low trust
31:00 Politicians weaponize public anger against police departments
32:15 High crime neighborhoods want more policing, not less
33:15 Is recruiting detectives as difficult as recruiting officers?
36:00 Is there a better role for the FBI in solving murders?
38:45 What to make of the current crime rates?
39:45 Murder rates have collapsed, but higher than peer nations
41:45 The civil rates movement created crime and upheaval
42:45 Trust is down, but crime is down… why?
44:30 German's journey to becoming a criminal justice reporter
47:30 Journalism has too many reporters on the coasts
51:00 Bengals or Reds?
53:00 Moving to the opinion section of the NYT
53:30 What does an editorial board do?
58:00 Chuck's thoughts on interview with German Lopez
58:45 Ask Chuck
59:00 Why haven't Democrats pushed for DC & Puerto Rico statehood?
1:03:30 Is Bobby Kennedy the model for Democrats to emulate?
1:09:30 AOC, Gavin or Beto for Dems in 2028?
1:12:30 Would Dr. Oz be allowed to override RFK on any policies?