VALDOSTA, Ga. (WTXL) — The Valdosta Police Department says the rate of crime in the city of Valdosta decreased last year.
According to a news release provided by the department on Monday, the decrease in crime is compared to 2020.
The department cites a 4.8 percent decrease in part one crimes.
The police department defines part one crimes as homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft and larceny.
During the past year, a total of 2,203 part one crimes were documented by the Valdosta Police Department.
Property crimes, like burglary, were lower than 2020 statistics by 72 cases. Calls for service dropped from 73,920 in 2020 to 70,499 in 2021.
The police department noted that it recovered $1,663,187 worth of stolen items last year.
The department noted an increase in aggravated assaults by 14 incidents and an increase in motor vehicle theft by one incident last year in comparison to 2020.
The Valdosta Police Department notes crime decreased 19 percent during the past seven years.
"Our department, like many other Law Enforcement Agencies, has felt the sting of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Yet every day, our officers still decide to put on their badges and uniforms and go out to serve our city,” Valdosta Police Department chief Leslie Manahan said in a statement in the news release. “We want to assure our residents that we have and will continue to enforce the law."
