Birmingham Police Chief A.C. Roper announced during Tuesday's City Council meeting the crime statistics for the first three-quarters of 2009.
From January to September violent crime is down 13%. Homicides have seen the steepest decrease with just 47 people killed versus 63 over the same period of time in 2008.
Robberies are down 21% with 813 in 2009 compared to 1034 in 2008.
Rapes dropped by 16% with 152 compared to 180 in 2008.
Property related crimes are also down by 12%.
Chief Roper says that the decrease can be attributed to a better relationship between the public and his beat officers.
The Chief says that his department is more able to head off violent crime before it happens thanks to the trust that has been established in the community.
That trust has also translated into a quicker turn around in homicide cases while also allowing the department to clear cold cases off the books.
Roper says moving forward his department needs to continue to work with community churches and businesses to establish a program to help convicts reintegrate into the community by completing there GED and find jobs.
The Chief believes this next step will help cut the number of repeat offenders who continue to fill city jail cells.
