2012 violent crimesIF YOU GO
Mayor-elect Andy Berke is hosting a forum on public safety at Tennessee Temple University in the gymnasium from 5 to 7 p.m. today.
2012 non-violent crimesThe city’s crime increased the most in Hixson and North Chattanooga last year, while downtown was the only area to see a decrease, according to preliminary 2012 crime figures from the Chattanooga Police Department.
The total reported crimes increased by nearly 7 percent from 2011 to 2012.
“It’s cyclical,” Police Chief Bobby Dodd said. “You’re going to have a natural rebound or adjustment in it, where if you look back over the past 10 years crime has continued to go down.”
In 2012, the crime rate was 1,037 per 100,000 people for violent crimes including homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault. Officers were able to close 38 percent of those reported cases, records show.