City of Troy Remains the Safest City in Michigan

On December 8, 2011, CQ Press released City Crime Rankings 2011-2012: Crime in Metropolitan America. CQ Press uses six crime categories to establish crime rate rankings for all cities with a population of at least 75,000 that report crime data to the FBI. The crime categories include: murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary and motor vehicle theft. The rankings in the CQ report are based upon data reported to the FBI for 2010.

According to the CQ report, Troy has the lowest crime rate ranking in Michigan for cities with a population of 75,000 or more. Nationwide, Troy ranked 19^th for cities with a population of 75,000 or more. Troy was ranked as the safest city in Michigan 10 of the last 14 ranking periods, including the current one. Troy has achieved “Safest City” rankings as high as 5^th and 6^th in the United States, in 2006 and 2005, respectively. In fact, in other than 2009, when it ranked 38^th overall, Troy has consistently ranked among the top 25 safest cities in the United States with populations over 75,000 since 1998.

The crime categories used by the CQ Press include all FBI Part 1 crimes, except larceny and arson. The FBI defines Part I crimes as the more serious crimes that occur in a community.

The number of Part 1 crimes reported to the Troy Police Department from 2000 through 2010 are as follows:

2000: 2387 2004: 1979 2008: 1950

2001: 2316 2005: 2044 2009: 1957

2002: 2061 2006: 2090 2010: 1783

2003: 2107 2007: 1971

Incidents of violent crime, which include murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault, are extremely low. In 2010, there were only 53 violent crimes reported to the Troy Police Department, which represents less than 3.0% of the total Part 1 crime in Troy.

Murder: 1

Rapes: 10

Robberies: 9

Aggravated Assault: 33

It should be noted that although 10 acts of criminal sexual conduct that occurred in Troy are classified as “rapes” in the FBI statistics, these types of assaults in Troy do not usually involve a victim being attacked by a stranger. There were no forcible rapes involving a stranger assaulting an unknown victim in 2010. Acts of criminal sexual conduct in Troy generally relate to incidents where one of the actors is a minor, complaints where incest or molestation by family members are alleged, or complaints of non-consensual acts between individuals who are acquainted with one another.

The Troy Police Department responded to a total of 35,018 incidents of all types in 2010. The Troy Dispatch center received approximately 173,000 incoming telephone calls in 2010, of which 40,335 were 911 calls. The department hosted 236 crime prevention and other safety programs in 2010, which were attended by 14,632 citizens. Additional workload statistics for 2010 are noted below:

Arrests: 2,520 (393 drunk driving)

Criminal Cases Investigated: 2173

Traffic Crashes: 3,367

Traffic Citations: 12,164 (8,723 crash causing hazardous violations)

This “Safest City” ranking represents an ongoing and significant achievement not only for the Troy Police Department, but for the community in general. It is a tribute to the residents; an excellent school system; strong prevention programs such as those provided by the Troy Community Coalition, Boys and Girls Club, Troy Youth Assistance, and many others; an effective District Court; and an active business community. The current ranking for the lowest crime rate in Michigan, reinforces the high quality of life that is offered in Troy. The Troy Police Department is dedicated to continuing to work with the community we serve, as well as City Management and City Government to assure this city remains a safe and attractive place to live, raise families, work, and recreate.

In commenting on the latest ranking, Troy Police Chief Gary Mayer spoke about the dedication and quality of the employees of the Troy Police Department. He noted the commitment to public safety this community has consistently sought to maintain. He pointed out the significant number of community volunteers that have come forward to act as our eyes and ears in conjunction with the “Citizens on Patrol Program,” which was formed in the face of recent staffing cuts. The Chief stated, “The Troy Police Department is made up of professional men and women who work hard to identify and solve problems. They, like so many in our community, have had to work through some significant challenges in terms of the current economic climate. They have been called upon to make sacrifices, yet they continue to provide this community with a level of law enforcement service that I am convinced is second to none. We have become a smaller, but more streamlined organization. We value the resources we have been provided and are dedicated to utilizing those resources to deliver the best law enforcement service possible.”

City Manager Mr. John Szerlag also reinforced these latest rankings as a significant accomplishment. Mr. Szerlag stated, “The community has consistently identified public safety as a priority. The on-going economic challenges required significant cost cutting efforts in every area of service delivery, including public safety. Nonetheless, we have worked hard to keep Troy safe. This latest ranking reinforces those efforts. It further underscores the excellence and professionalism of the City’s employees who remain dedicated to preserving a high quality of life in this community. Our challenge is to maintain this record of excellence in the face of shrinking resources. If we can accomplish that, I am confident we will remain one of the premier places to live and do business not only in Southeast Michigan, but in the entire nation.”