Reading Crime Down: Police Chief

The police chief in one eastern Pennsylvania city says that contrary to common perception, crime in his community has been falling at a steady rate.

Crime statistics released Tuesday by the city of Reading for 1993 to 2013 show that serious crime has dropped to fewer than 3,600 reported offenses from a high of more than 8,000 in 1996.

Police Chief William Heim told the Reading Eagle (http://bit.ly/LUGjY0) that the State Police Uniform Crime Reporting System statistics show a steady decline in crime since 1993.

Berks County District Attorney John Adams said he's pleased with the figures, noting they mirror national trends.

The figures show 39 people were shot, eight fatally, last year. The highest figure in the last 14 years was 91 shootings, 17 of them fatal, in 2001.
 

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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