The Cape Coral mid-year Uniform Crime Report showed a significant decrease during the first six months of 2010.
The crime rate for Cape Coral dropped by 17.5 percent in the first six months compared to last year.
The only major crime which had an increase in Cape Coral from 2009 was sexual battery, due to a jump from seven in 2009 to 13 in the first six months of 2010.
“Cape Coral has always prided itself on being one of the safest cities in Florida,” City spokesperson Connie Barron said. “Even though we have seen a population growth over the last few years we have still been able to maintain the crime rate because we have a citizenry that works well with the police department.”
She said although they are looking at a snap shot of time right now with the first six months, “it certainly is encouraging when you see this level of crime drop.”
“Anything can happen between now and the end of the year,” Barron said. “But we are off to a good start right now.”
The total number of Part I crimes showed a decrease from 2,414 to 1,993, which, if maintained for the remainder of the year, will experience an additional decrease from 2,912 to 2,456.
There has been one recorded murder for 2010 compared to three last year.
This year, the total violent crime reported decreased 16.6 percent from 181 in 2009 to 150 this year. Non-violent crime also had a decline of 17.5 percent from 2,233 to 1,843.
Robbery also showed a drop to 38 in 2010, compared to 56 in 2009. Aggravated assault decreased by 15 percent, reported burglaries decreased by 17 percent and larceny decreased by 16 percent.
When asked what the Cape Coral Police Department is doing differently this year than the previous year, Barron said they began J Crime to help mentor juveniles because a large percentage of them commit vehicle burglaries.
“We can never say definitively that is the reason burglaries have decreased, but we have seen a reduction from some of our efforts to work with the community, along with the parents and juveniles,” she said.