Statewide report shows crimes in Florida, Space Coast slowed in 2012
By Meagan McGone
mmcgone@hometownnewsol.com
BREVARD - Crime is down in Brevard by 6.2 percent, according to a statewide report released by Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
The report, which detailed crime rates by county throughout Florida from January to June of this year, compared the crime in the first six months of 2011 to the first six months of 2012 and found that statewide, Florida's crime volume dropped by 3.8 percent.
"As a father and a grandfather, the safety of Florida families is a top priority for our administration," Gov. Scott said in a release. "The great news is we are winning the fight against crime. I am committed to making Florida the safest place in the world to pursue a career and raise a family."
According to the report, violent crimes, including murder, forcible sex offenses, robbery and aggravated assault, were down by 5.3 percent statewide. The report also showed an 8 percent drop in robberies and a 5.4 percent decrease in aggravated assault.
The report also showed that non-violent crimes, including burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft, fell 3.6 percent in Florida. Burglary and larceny are down 5.8 percent and 3 percent, respectively.
"That means Florida communities are getting safer," Gov. Scott said in the release. "No doubt, it's because of the courage of our brave men and women of law enforcement that families can feel safe in our communities. These heroes put themselves in harm's way every single day, and we owe them a debt of gratitude for making our communities safe."
Across Brevard, the number of robberies, aggravated assaults, burglaries and larcenies fell. However, the number of crimes related to murder, forcible rape and motor vehicle thefts increased.
Brevard County Sheriff Jack Parker said initiatives like the GAMEOVER Task Force help fight crime locally.
"This unit is a model program for law enforcement efforts across the country and continues to make Brevard County safer every day by removing the worst of the worst from our communities," he said in a release.