Police: Minneapolis Crime At Lowest Rate In 30 Years
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Minneapolis Police said crime rates in the city are the lowest they've been for decades.
And on Thursday, they're discussing what strategies and public safety efforts are planned to keep the city safe in 2015. Their aim is to keep those crime statistics low and maintain it for years to come.
Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges had some good news to deliver on Thursday: Overall city crime is down to numbers that haven't been seen in 30 years.
According to numbers released Thursday, youth violence and burglaries are down 10 percent overall. In 2014, Minneapolis Police recovered 692 guns as evidence. That was a 3.9 percent increase compared to 2013.
Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau also said she works hard to make sure her department reflects diversity. That includes women and men of all races. The police department said it will continue to work on hiring new, quality officers as more and more begin to retire.
Both Harteau and Hodges spoke about the latest crime numbers and the issues facing the city.
"Overall we had 492 fewer burglaries in 2014. Although one crime is too many, that is a significant decrease and that we're very proud of," Harteau said.
"Minneapolis is a safe city, but it is safer for some more than it is for others," Hodges said. "We know that for people between 18 and 24, they are most likely to be the victims of violent crime and we know that crime is not distributed equally geographically."
Harteau said violent crimes are up less than one percent, while aggravated assaults are up a little more than two percent from 2013. Homicides were down 11 percent, and juvenile arrests were down 21 percent from 2013.
City officials said they saw increases in robberies and sexual assaults in 2014. They also reported an increased in calls for shots fired, and they are changing way they investigate them. They're doing so to help them to solve shootings, prevent shootings and build relationships with community.
The police department is also making efforts to reach out to more youth to prevent violence in Minneapolis. Other plans include holding more community forums to hear about issues and figure out ways to handle them. The department is also planning an increased partnership with the alcohol, tobacco and firearms unit and they're looking to make adjustments after getting the results of their body camera project.
