Crime in Rock Island has hit a 26-year low. This week, Police Chief Jeff VenHuizen presented last year's crime statistics to the city council.
VenHuizen says the report includes eight crimes the departments reports to the FBI, from murder and assault, to robbery and burglary.
Crime in 1994 hit a peak at nearly 3,500. Last year, that number dropped to almost 1,200 in Rock Island.
Fewer crimes were reported in 2017 in all but two categories. The number of burglaries increased 13 percent compared to the previous year, and motor vehicle thefts jumped 32%.
VenHuizen says the Rock Island force is currently short-staffed. But he'd like to create a task force to help prevent burglaries from happening in the same areas.
Last year, three murders occurred in Rock Island compared to four in 2016. And the number of robberies dropped 55%, to ten in 2017, down from 22 the year before.
2017 RIPD UCR by Michelle O'Neill on Scribd
