Since 2011, Florida’s crime rate has dropped 27 percent
Governor Rick Scott today announced that Florida’s crime rate is now at a 47-year low. The crime rate has dropped six percent since 2016, and since Gov. Scott took office, the crime rate has dropped 27 percent. In 2017, there were 28,640 fewer crimes than in 2016, which is a 4.5 percent decrease. This year, Governor Scott was proud to invest more than $5.2 billion in public safety in the Securing Florida’s Future budget.
Governor Scott said, “We continue to make investments each year to keep our communities safe, and these investments are working. Today, I’m proud to announce that crime is at a 47-year low in our state. Our state’s continuously decreasing crime rate is a reminder of the dedication and hard work of Florida’s law enforcement officers. We must continue to support and thank them every day for their commitment to keeping Florida families safe.”
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi said, “Our crime rate continues to decline because of our brave law enforcement officers and dedicated prosecutors. Sadly, Florida has lost five law enforcement heroes this year, and while we celebrate the state’s lowest crime rate in 47 years, let’s not forget the high price of our safety and the heroes who pay it.”
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam said, “Florida’s 47-year low crime rate is due to the tireless and selfless efforts of our law enforcement officers. Our law enforcement officers face unprecedented challenges, yet continue to courageously protect Floridians and visitors. Let us all be grateful for the brave men and women who protect our communities and make our state the best place to live, work and raise families.”
Chief Financial Officer and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis said, “The men and women behind the badge lay their lives on the line every day as they answer our calls for help. Law enforcement officials are the fabric of our communities. As a result their steadfast commitment to protecting Floridians, our state has now embraced the lowest crime rate we’ve seen in 47 years – an accomplishment that is nothing short of remarkable. While there is always more work to be done, Floridians have a lot to be thankful for and we couldn’t be any happier with this most recent accomplishment.”
FDLE Commissioner Rick Swearingen said, “I want to thank Florida’s more than 45,000 law enforcement officers working to keep our communities safe. These officers are routinely called into dangerous and volatile situations risking their own lives to protect ours.”
Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson, Florida Sheriffs Association President, said, “This marks another year of lower crime rates due to the dedication and expertise of law enforcement across the state. The 67 Sheriffs of Florida salute the hard-working men and women who hold the line every minute, of every day, to keep Floridians and our visitors safe. We will continue to protect and serve, and conduct annual strategic operations through the Florida Sheriffs Task Force to set the bar for the rest of the nation.”
Miami Shores Police Chief Kevin Lystad, Florida Police Chiefs Association President, said, “Each and every day, law enforcement officers are working in their communities to reduce crime and keep Florida safe. The good news is that we’ve seen the overall crime rate continue to decrease, but there’s been an uptick in domestic violence and forcible sex offenses. These are issues every community faces and we encourage citizens to continue to report these crimes so law enforcement officers can get offenders off the street.”
R.J. Larizza, President of the Florida Prosecuting Attorneys Association, said, “State Attorneys across Florida work every day to ensure that Florida communities are safe. We would like to thank Governor Scott, the Florida Cabinet, FDLE and all of our law enforcement partners for working together to reach today’s achievement.”
View the 2017 Annual Uniform Crime Report HERE.
