Violent Crime Down in Milwaukee

Good news! 

Over the first half of the year, Milwaukee’s violent crime decreased 19.4% compared with the start of last year, Police Chief Edward Flynn reported today.

“Our violent crime decreases seemed very significant, which caused me to make everybody go back and check the numbers again,” Flynn said in speaking with the Journal Sentinel’s editorial board this afternoon.

The department’s numbers showed decreases in each of the violent crime categories, including:

- Homicide, 33 in 2008, compared with 48 in 2007.

- Rape, 88 in 2008, compared with 124 in 2007.

- Robbery, 1,392 in 2008, compared with 1,607 in 2007.

- Aggravated assault, 1,703 in 2008, compared with 2,210 in 2007.

Among property crimes noted, only burglary increased over the same period in 2007 - particularly on the city’s south side - while drops came in the first six months for larceny/theft, motor vehicle theft and arson. Overall, property crimes were down 4.5%.