Minneapolis: Violent crime continues to decrease
Categories: Crime
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| Violent crime in Minneapolis has fallen dramatically since 2005. |
The number of violent crimes in Minneapolis fell 6.3 percent last year from 2010, reaching a 28-year-low, according to statistics published today by the city.
In a press release, Mayor R.T. Rybak said: "For several years now, we have made critical investments in our police -- and for the fifth year in a row, violent crime in Minneapolis has fallen significantly compared to the year before."
The violent crime drop continues a half-decade trend. Since 2005, violent crime as a whole has fallen by 42 percent. Robberies have fallen 50 percent during the same time frame, and homicides have fallen 44 percent since 2006.
Recent crime news is not all good, however. Minneapolis was rocked by the death of 3-year-old Terrell Mayes Jr., who was killed by a stray bullet on December 26. That tragedy has raised fresh concerns about gunfire in the city, particularly in the area of North where Mayes Jr. was killed.
And despite the violent crime decrease, property crimes were actually up last year. So-called Part 1 crimes, which include both violent crimes and property crimes, were up over 4 percent from 2010. Calls to the city seeking specific information about property crime rates in 2011 weren't immediately returned.
In the press release, City Council President Barb Johnson nicely summarizes the state of crime in Minneapolis:
The strong partnership of police, prosecutors and community has produced these very good results for our neighborhoods. The recent, tragic death of three-year-old Terrell Mayes, however, reminds us how important it is to keep at this work and keep driving crime down. Even one violent crime is too many.
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