Pennington: Crime down 12 percent in ‘09
With two weeks to go in the year, Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin and Police Chief Richard Pennington are touting record lows in major crimes for 2009.
“With 15 days to go Part I crimes are down 12 percent,” Pennington said, at Franklin’s regular press conference to discuss city business.
The outgoing police chief said murder, rape, robberies and aggravated assaults are all down. To date, he said there have been 75 murders reported in the city.
“We are proud of our murder statistics,” Pennington said. “The 75 murders are the lowest we have had in 40 years. In 2002, when I came, we had 167 murders.”
Pennington added that rape is down 11 percent; auto theft 11 percent; larceny 19 percent; burglary 9 percent; and aggravated assault 18 percent.
“We have had a decrease in every category, which is tremendous when yo think about that at the first part of the year, we were on furlough,” said Pennington, adding that when he arrived as chief in 2002, Atlanta ranked as the third most dangerous city in the country.
"Last year, we were 23rd," he said. "Next year, with the 12 percent reduction, we should fall even further."
About the Author
Ernie Suggs is an enterprise reporter covering race and culture for the AJC since 1997. A 1990 graduate of N.C. Central University and a 2009 Harvard University Nieman Fellow, he is also the former vice president of the National Association of Black Journalists. His obsession with Prince, Spike Lee movies, Hamilton and the New York Yankees is odd.
