Mayor's Statement re: Reduction in Violent Crime

Madison - Mayor Dave Cieslewicz made the following statement regarding the new FBI data showing a 15.6% decrease in violent crime in Madison for the first half of 2007: "Violent crime is down significantly in the City overall, which is good news for our community. This is evidence that our longstanding commitment to public safety is paying off. While much attention has been paid to the 30 new police officers we added this year, we also added 10 new officers the year before, and eight new officers the year before that. "That said, we can't rest on our laurels or pretend that we have solved this issue. Improving public safety is a long-term commitment and we can't relax based upon good results for a single year. Those who are already suggesting we roll back our commitment to public safety based upon one year of positive results are wrong. "It is important to also emphasize that improving public safety is not just about law enforcement. That's why my public safety plan that was passed in the 2008 City Budget takes a comprehensive approach. We didn't just add police officers, we also added resources for building inspection, graffiti eradication, and community service programs that address the root causes of crime. It is only through this kind of approach that we will continue to see positive results in making our community as safe as it can be. "This summer, I attended eight listening sessions throughout the city, attended by over 2500 Madisonians who came out in unprecedented numbers to voice their concerns. While I am very encouraged by this significant decrease in violent crime, we will not be truly successful until Madisonians everywhere in our community feel safe in their homes and neighborhoods." The FBI data is available online at: http://www.fbi.gov/page2/jan08/ucr_statistics010708.html. For the Madison statistics, go to:http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/prelim2007/table4ok_wi.htm and scroll down to the bottom of the page. The 15.6% decrease in Madison's violent crime rate compares to a nationwide decrease of 1.8%.