As Richmond Police analyze the midyear crime statistics, overall crime is up slightly –2 percent to be specific.
Violent crime is down 1 percent led by our homicide rate, which is at a historic low. We’ve had a 30 percent decrease in homicides compared to this same time period last year. To boot, we’ve solved 74 percent –or 14 of 19 cases--of homicides in 2010. That’s well above the clearance rate for many cities our size.
Our aggravated assaults –which comprise shootings, stabbings and an assault where the skin is broken—are down 7 percent. Robberies of individuals are also down 2 percent.
Though business robberies are up 5 percent, we are working on several different strategies to address that problem.
Property crimes are up 3 percent overall led by a 4 percent increase in larcenies. However, we’re glad to see a decrease in thefts from motor vehicle. Those thefts are down 9 percent, thanks in large part to citizens taking their valuables out of their cars and locking their vehicles.
As we statistically complete the first half of this year, there are positive trends that benefit the city of
Working off of those trends, continuing to build relationships within our neighborhoods, maintaining strong clearance rates to reduce recidivism, professional relationship with our commonwealth’s attorney, we feel we’ve positioned ourselves to respond to and, at the same time, be proactive in solving public safety concerns in the city.
“To us, each crime number has a victim, has a suspect, has a story behind it. Both have families and our goal is to have fewer crime victims. We’re more interested in that than crime numbers,” Assistant Chief Dave McCoy said.
