The City of Rochester had its lowest overall crime rate in 30 years…but the most serious crime, homicide, was up in 2016. There were 42 in 2016, compared with 36 in 2015. That’s an increase of close to 17 percent.
There were smaller increases in rape and armed robbery in the city last year, although the five-year trends are all down considerably.
Police and Mayor Lovely Warren released last year’s crime stats this morning. They say the city saw the second-lowest level of aggravated assault in ten years after police specifically targeted that crime. There were 862, down four percent from 900 the year before.
All major categories of property crime were down, including burglaries, larcenies and car thefts. The total decrease in “Part One,” the most serious crimes, was five percent last year and 19 percent for the five year trend.
But the patrol officers union, the Police Locust Club, Tweets that perception is reality, and the homicide rate shows the city is more dangerous for citizens and police.