The overall rate for the most serious crimes in Yakima dropped more than 20% in 2013 when compared to the previous year.\u00a0 The rates for the majority of what are referred to by the FBI as \u201cPart 1 crimes\u201d declined significantly in 2013 from what they were in 2012 while those for two categories rose.\u00a0 But when considered as a whole, the rate for Part 1 crimes decreased last year by 20.2% from 2012 levels.<\/p>\n
\u201cCrime rates in Yakima have steadily dropped since they reached their highest levels in the late 1980s,\u201d said Yakima Police Chief Dominic Rizzi.\u00a0 \u201cSince then, crime rates have declined by more than 60%.\u00a0 That decrease mirrors national trends, but also reflects specific efforts we\u2019ve made locally to fight crime, especially lately.\u00a0 For example, last year the Yakima Police Department reinstated its downtown Bike Patrol Unit, expanded its Gang Unit, and participated in a task force that addressed crime and code issues along the North 1st<\/sup> \u00a0 Street corridor,\u201d said Rizzi.\u00a0 \u201cBecause of those and a number of other changes we\u2019ve made in our approach, we\u2019re seeing some tangible success.\u201d<\/p>\n According to the latest information the City has supplied to the FBI for its upcoming annual \u201cCrime in the United States\u201d report, the rate of vehicle thefts in Yakima decreased year to year by 51.14% (691 in 2013 vs. 1267 in 2012), the larceny rate went down by 14.90% (2749 in 2013 vs. 3230 in 2012), aggravated assaults dropped by 18.89% (219 in 2013 vs. 270 in 2012), burglaries declined by 29.00% (1146 in 2013 vs. 1615 in 2012), and incidents of rape reduced by 37.25% (32 in 2013 vs. 51 in 2012).\u00a0 The homicide rate increased by 14.28% (8 in 2013 vs. 7 in 2012) and robberies rose by 15.29% (181 in 2013 vs. 157 in 2012).<\/p>\n \u201cThe community has told us loud and clear through citizen surveys that public safety is the number one priority in Yakima,\u201d said City Manager Tony O\u2019Rourke.\u00a0 \u201cThe City Council has responded to that mandate by dedicating significant resources to fighting crime and supporting changes in how our police department is attacking the problem.\u00a0 The latest statistics show that the tide is turning toward making Yakima a safer community,\u201d said O\u2019Rourke.<\/p>\n The FBI has been tracking and analyzing crime data through its Uniform Crime Reports (\u201cUCR\u201d) program since 1930.\u00a0 Today the UCR program processes information from more than 18,000 city, county, state, federal, tribal, and university and college law enforcement agencies.<\/p>\n \u2013 end \u2013<\/p>\n