RPD Release 2012 Crime Stats
By: Ashley Zilka
Updated: January 22, 2013
The Rochester Police Department released their 2012 crime statistics Tuesday morning.
The number of people shot in the city was up last year. Police say 143 were shot in 2011, compared to 218 in 2012. These are people who were shot but did not die. Fatal fires were also up to 10. That is after two years without fatal fires.
It was a difficult year for the Rochester Fire Department. Ten people lost their lives in fires in 2012, including four children in the Grape Street fire; a fire set by their own mother.
"After a couple years of zeros, and the low average over the last ten years, to have something like that, it had an impact on everybody. Nobody likes to see those kind of numbers," said Chief Sam Mitrano, Rochester Fire Department.
Chief Mitrano says outreach and education are the key to preventing accidental fires by making sure homes have working smoke detectors.
On the Rochester Police Department beat, homicides are up. 36 people were killed last year. That's five more than the year before.
Mayor Richards says you need to look at the big picture. 2012 had the 3rd fewest homicides in 10 years.
"You need to look at two things. Short range in terms of what we do tomorrow. Is there something happening in the neighborhood? Long range, are we making progress? Is this number on average coming down overtime which I think it is," said Mayor Tom Richards.
Chief Jim Sheppard says most violent crime isn't random.
"When we have a violent crime, there is somebody attached to that person. The victim has a brother, sister, mother, father, uncle, relative, somebody who is touched by it," said Sheppard.
There is good news. Burglaries are down 13 percent. It's a high priority for Chief Sheppard who says he was burglarized when he moved to the city.
"A lot of times with violent crime it could be your lifestyle that gets you in trouble. With a burglary, it could be the fact that you just have a job, you leave your house, and when you come home it's been broken into," said Sheppard.
Most recently, police are focusing on corner stores in the city. They listened to citizens' concerns and now they've stepped up efforts in neighborhoods where there have been problems.
The number of people shot in the city was up last year. Police say 143 were shot in 2011, compared to 218 in 2012. These are people who were shot but did not die. Fatal fires were also up to 10. That is after two years without fatal fires.
It was a difficult year for the Rochester Fire Department. Ten people lost their lives in fires in 2012, including four children in the Grape Street fire; a fire set by their own mother.
"After a couple years of zeros, and the low average over the last ten years, to have something like that, it had an impact on everybody. Nobody likes to see those kind of numbers," said Chief Sam Mitrano, Rochester Fire Department.
Chief Mitrano says outreach and education are the key to preventing accidental fires by making sure homes have working smoke detectors.
On the Rochester Police Department beat, homicides are up. 36 people were killed last year. That's five more than the year before.
Mayor Richards says you need to look at the big picture. 2012 had the 3rd fewest homicides in 10 years.
"You need to look at two things. Short range in terms of what we do tomorrow. Is there something happening in the neighborhood? Long range, are we making progress? Is this number on average coming down overtime which I think it is," said Mayor Tom Richards.
Chief Jim Sheppard says most violent crime isn't random.
"When we have a violent crime, there is somebody attached to that person. The victim has a brother, sister, mother, father, uncle, relative, somebody who is touched by it," said Sheppard.
There is good news. Burglaries are down 13 percent. It's a high priority for Chief Sheppard who says he was burglarized when he moved to the city.
"A lot of times with violent crime it could be your lifestyle that gets you in trouble. With a burglary, it could be the fact that you just have a job, you leave your house, and when you come home it's been broken into," said Sheppard.
Most recently, police are focusing on corner stores in the city. They listened to citizens' concerns and now they've stepped up efforts in neighborhoods where there have been problems.
