Milwaukee Police Department releases 2013 crime statistics



MILWAUKEE (WITI) --  The Milwaukee Police Department has released its crime statistics for 2013, announcing an overall crime reduction of 8.7% compared to 2012 and a 26% reduction compared to 2007.

Violent crime (homicide, forcible rape, aggravated assault and robbery) was up slightly (1.1%) compared to 2012 but is down 11.4% since 2007. Property crime (burglary, theft, auto theft and arson) decreased 11.2% compared to 2012 and is down 29.5% since 2007.

This continued decline in crime means 47,861 fewer crime victims over the past seven years. Through the first six months of 2013, homicides were on pace for one of the lowest annual totals in years. An unusually violent August and September - with 20 and 13 homicides respectively - accounted for nearly a third of all homicides in the City during 2013 and pushed our annual total to 105, an increase of 14 incidents (15%) over 2012 and the same number as 2007.

Robbery proved stubborn in 2013, as the first six months of the year drove a 6% increase over 2012 totals. Despite this one-year increase, robbery reduced 7% since  robbery reduction initiatives resulted in a 2% decrease during the second half of 2013 and the fewest fourth-quarter robberies in seven years. Both Milwaukee and southeastern  Wisconsin reported increases in bank robberies in 2013.

One-year decreases were seen in aggravated assault (2.6%), burglary (7.7%), theft (13.2%), motor vehicle theft (8.9%) and arson (7.1%) over 2012 totals. Substantial decreases since 2007 have been realized in robbery (7%), aggravated assault (15%), theft (34%), motor vehicle theft (43%) and arson (18%).

“We were as frustrated as the rest of the community was with the increase in violent crime in 2013 over 2012. 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 men and women of the Milwaukee Police Department have been working diligently to put in place plans that will continue the reductions in property crime experienced in 2013 while significantly reducing violence," Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn said.