Sheriff: Crime down again in 2013

Crime decreased in Sarasota County in 2013, continuing a trend that has seen crime drop 35% countywide since Sheriff Tom Knight took office in 2009, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office announced in a statement Thursday.

According to data released by the agency Thursday, violent crime in Sarasota County dropped nearly 16% in 2013 compared with 2012. Major crimes, known as Part 1 Offenses in the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Index, decreased by more than 11%, and total offenses are down more than 8% from the year prior.

In 2013, calls for service also dropped as did total arrests, which tallied 9,822 — a 2% drop.

“It is gratifying to see double digit decreases in nearly all crime categories,” Knight said in a statement. “We credit strong community partnerships, a flexibility in staffing that allows an immediate deployment of manpower to address emerging crime issues, and maintaining a workforce of multi-faceted personnel who are responsive to the dynamic demands of a law enforcement career.”

Since Knight took office in 2009, violent crime has decreased 35%, Part 1 Offenses are down 34% and total crime is down 28% in Sarasota County.

Contact Nolan Peterson at [email protected]