Sarasota Crime at Lowest Level in a Decade, Police Say

Fewer crimes were reported in the City of Sarasota in 2012 than in any of the past 10 years, the Sarasota Police Department said Thursday.

The city saw its lowest numbers of crimes in a decade in numerous categories last year, including murders, robberies, aggravated battery/assault, burglaries, motor vehicle thefts and others, officials said.

Only three murders were reported in the city in 2012, down from seven in 2011.

Still, Sarasota Police officers responded to more calls for service last year than they had in 2011 or 2010. And they made a total of 5,178 arrests last year — 475 more than in 2011 and 846 more than in 2010.

“I am proud of the efforts made by the men and women of the Sarasota Police Department in 2012," Chief of Police Bernadette A. DiPino said in a statement. "We look forward to expanding collaboration with Our Community Partners.  We will attempt to continue this crime reduction trend by building on the momentum of 2012 and increasing the emphasis on community partnerships.” 

See the attached PDF for a closer look at crime statistics in Sarasota.

What do you think has led to the reduction of crime in Sarasota? Post a comment below and join the conversation.

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