We have experienced a surge in violent crime this year, according to police department crime stats through the end of July. Total violent crime (homicide, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault) reported to the police increased 22% through the first seven months of the year compared to the same period last year.
The overall serious crime rate (Part One offenses, violent crimes plus burglary, theft, and vehicle theft) increased 6% through July.
The increase in violent crime is limited to two street-crime offenses--robbery and aggravated assault. Robbery has increased 25% and aggravated assault (an assault involving a weapon and/or serious bodily injury) is up 22%. Conversely, homicide is down 33% and rape is down 11%.
Vehicle theft continues to decline sharply, down 17% through July, continuing a drop that began several years ago when City Attorney Tom Carr launched a unique targeted prosecution effort aimed at the most frequent auto theft suspects.
The crime rate increases we are seeing this year are an abrupt reversal of the multi-year decline we had been experiencing through last year. In 2008, city reported crime dropped to levels last seen in the late 1960s.