Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, City Council President Barbara Johnson and Police Chief Tim Dolan recently released statistics showing that violent crime in Minneapolis fell 6.3 percent in 2011, for a 28-year low. In addition, Part I crime (violent and property crime together) remains at low levels not seen since the 1960s.
“For several years now, we have made critical investments in our police—and for the fifth year in a row, violent crime in Minneapolis has fallen significantly compared to the year before,” Rybak said. “Committed officers, strong leadership, smart policing and engaged community members—not to mention the taxpayers who have invested in all of them—deserve our thanks for these encouraging results and for bringing crime down to levels not seen in decades.”
Highlights of the 2011 year-end crime statistics include: Violent crime in 2011 fell 6.3 percent compared to 2010 and fell 10.3 percent compared to 2009. Overall, violent crime has fallen 42 percent since 2005. The number of violent crimes committed in 2011 was lower than any year since 1983, for a 28-year low. The number of homicides committed in 2011 (32) fell compared to 2010. Overall, homicide has fallen 44 percent since 2006 and is lower than any year since 1985, with the exception of 2009. The number of robberies committed in 2011 rose 2.7 percent compared to 2010 but is flat compared to 2009. Overall, robbery has fallen 50 percent since 2005 and is at levels not seen since before the 1980s. Part I crime in 2011 (violent and property crime together) rose 4.3 percent compared to 2010 but is still at levels not seen since the 1960s.
“The strong partnership of police, prosecutors and community has produced these very good results for our neighborhoods,” said Council President Johnson. “The recent, tragic death of three-year-old Terrell Mayes, however, reminds us how important it is to keep at this work and keep driving crime down. Even one violent crime is too many.”
Even as Minneapolis experienced several tragic, high-profile shooting deaths of youths in 2011, violent crime among youth continues to drop. From 2006–10 (the last year that full statistics are available), the number of youth suspects involved in violent crime dropped 60 percent. Mayor Rybak credited the City’s Youth Violence Prevention initiative and the Blueprint for Action for this notable decline.
“We mourn the young people we have lost; they should have lived much, much longer,” Mayor Rybak continued. “But the solid framework that helps us learn from those losses is firmly in place. We commit to keep learning and to keep working every day to ensure a safe future for our children.”
Chief Dolan said, “Overall, I am pleased that the city is maintaining crime reductions achieved across the city in the last several years. The employees of the department are performing well and have led the way on several successful efforts. Their relations with our communities and professional partners have received high grades. We do have rising concerns, especially with youth-related violent crime and burglaries, but we’ll keep working together to solve those issues.”