Ann Arbor's Crime Stats Now Open for All to See

Ann Arbor is making it easier for everyone to keep an eye on crime. The police have launched a new online tool that shows crime numbers from the past few years. This tool reveals that overall crime has gone down by 7% compared to last year. Violent crime has also dropped by 4%. But not all areas of Ann Arbor are seeing these improvements. Downtown Ann Arbor is actually experiencing more crime. Total crime in this area has gone up by 9%, and violent crime has increased by 11%. Ward 1, which includes a big part of downtown, has seen an 8% rise in total crime and an 11% increase in violent crime. Police believe that late-night activity, especially between 12:00 and 3:00 am on Sundays, is a big factor. This is when people are leaving bars and other late-night spots. Ward 5 had the most reported crimes, with 1, 423 incidents. However, this area saw a 5% decrease in total crimes. Police Chief Andre Anderson emphasizes that arrests alone won't solve the problem. Instead, they are focusing on prevention strategies to reduce crime. Anderson is hosting quarterly community meetings to discuss these issues and involve the public in finding solutions. He believes that collaboration is key to addressing crime trends effectively. The Ann Arbor Police Department will share the details of these community meetings on their Facebook page. This new tool and approach aim to make the community more informed and engaged in crime prevention efforts.