Flynn PHOTO MPD
Violent crime was up slightly in the state’s biggest city for 2013, but overall crime dropped. The Milwaukee Police Department has released crime statistics for 2013, showing an overall crime reduction of 8.7% compared to 2012, and a 26% reduction compared to 2007.
Violent crime, which includes homicide, forcible rape, aggravated assault and robbery, increased 1.1% compared to 2012 but is down 11.4% since 2007. Property crime, which includes burglary, theft, auto theft and arson decreased 11.2% compared to 2012 and is down 29.5% since 2007.
“We were as frustrated as the rest of the community was with the increase in violent crime in 2013 over 2012,” said a statement from Police Chief Ed Flynn. “Although we were gratified by the impact our data-driven strategies had during the last few months of the year, they could not undo the harm that had already been done.”
The Milwaukee Police Department report said homicides were on pace for one of the lowest annual totals in years through the first six months of 2013. But an unusually violent August and September – with 20 and 13 homicides respectively – accounted for nearly a third of all Milwaukee homicides for the year and pushed the 2013 total to 105, an increase of 14 over 2012 and the same number as 2007.