Crime & Safety

Birmingham Crime Rate: Violent Crime Decreasing, Police Say

Despite a deadly weekend that included five homicides in the area, Birmingham police say 2019 has seen a decrease in violent crime.

BIRMINGHAM, AL — Despite a rash of shooting deaths in recent weeks in Birmingham, violent crime in the city has actually decreased from last year, police say. A WBRC report showed Birmingham Police Chief Patrick Smith saying the overall violent crime rate in Birmingham has dropped considerably.

The Birmingham Police Department posts weekly crime updates on its Facebook page, including the comparisons from this point last year:

Smith said in the WBRC report that Birmingham has seen a 14.6 percent decrease in violent crime since last year.

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Thus far, 97 homicides have been reported in Birmingham in 2019. Last year, 107 homicides were reported in the city, down from 111 in 2017.

Watch the full report from Smith on WBRC.

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