City Sees Increase in Homicides, Decrease in Overall Crime in 2012
Updated: Friday, January 4 2013, 03:39 PM EST
In 2011, the city saw a historic low in homicides when fewer than 200 people were murder. But in 2012 the number jumped 10 percent to 217 deeming Baltimore the seventh deadliest city by Forbes Magazine.
Under former Police Commissioner Fred Bealefeld the motto was getting bad guys with guns off the streets, a strategy that proved successful but is now being tweaked by the city's new commissioner.
While the focus is still getting guns of the streets, new commissioner Anthony Batts is also focusing on mending a strained relationship between residents and police. Last month, Batts created a community relations
division.
While 217 people were murder in Baltimore last year, City Hall says there has been a drop in overall crime. Preliminary numbers released on Tuesday show a five percent drop in violent crime and property crime. Gun crimes also declined by six percent.
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