Escambia County’s Overall Crime Rate Drops

December 1, 2022

The overall crime index in Escambia County dropped 9.8% during 2021 compared to the previous year, according to new data released Wednesday by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

The total number of murders in the county dropped from 32 in 2020 to 23 in 2021, and robberies decreased from 376 to 282. Two other violent crime categories were up — rapes (225 to 284), aggravated assaults (1,306 to 1,332). Other crimes decreased from 2020 to 2021 — burglaries (1,588 to 1,285), larcenies (6,039 to 5,410) and motor vehicle thefts (732 to 689).

The countywide report covers crimes investigated by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Pensacola Police Department and other agencies like the Florida Highway Patrol, University of West Florida Police Department, and Pensacola State Police Department.

During 2021, 34.3% of crimes in Escambia County were cleared, compared to 32.6% in 2020.

The crime rate per 100,000 population also decreased, from 3,181.2 in 2020 to 2,867.9 in 2021.

Statewide, crime in Florida hit a 50-year low, according to the 2021 Annual Uniform Crime Report. The report covers the calendar year of 2021 and shows . Both violent and property crimes decreased in 2021.  Domestic violence was also down.

Comments

8 Responses to “Escambia County’s Overall Crime Rate Drops”

  1. J.Larry Seale on December 3rd, 2022 6:41 pm

    that is great news………
    NOW maybe the sheriff can
    redirect some of his units to stoping
    all the loud music and crazy drivers
    that roam the roads at night…..

  2. Stumpknocker on December 1st, 2022 11:41 pm

    @kane you are absolutely incorrect, there’s actually no way to measure what law enforcement accomplishes during a shift, yes they are reactive but also proactive. For most just their presence is enough for someone to slow down or not steel or change their behavior.

  3. Bob on December 1st, 2022 11:38 pm

    @derek

    Beat cops are a part of “community policing”, something that is done in some major cities, but not in Escambia County. Our city isn’t remotely walkable, so having beat cops doesn’t really make sense here

    The role of police in Escambia County is to be reactive. They respond *after* a crime has been committed. Do you know what actually does reduce crime? Education, livable wages, access to mental and physical healthcare, and prisons that are rehabilitative instead of punitive.

  4. derek on December 1st, 2022 8:48 pm

    Kane…. more patrols, more officers on the beat proactively patrolling absolutely reduces crime!

  5. CJ Lewis on December 1st, 2022 5:01 pm

    The 2021 crime data is “very” incomplete even for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. It says so right in the report that the data submitted only covers 96 days. How can that even be? Only 31 of 67 counties submitted data. But we can make some assessment of the data that we do have. For both 2020 and 2021, Escambia County had the #3 highest crime rate in Florida. In both 2020 and 2021, Escambia County’s crime rate was 1.47 times the state average. Not that long ago Escambia County had a per capita crime rate “below” the state average. The gap between the county and state crime rates widened and then skyrocketed when Sheriff Morgan took office and has stayed bad for Sheriff Simmons first full year as Sheriff which is actually his fifth year because he was the Chief Deputy for four years. Santa Rosa County’s data is not reported for 2021. But 2020 state data shows that the crime rate in Escambia County was 3.25 times Santa Rosa County.

  6. SueB on December 1st, 2022 11:10 am

    Escambia County Sheriff Dept & Deputies do their job and arrest the thugs. More training is needed for the younger, newer deputies about laws. However, It is the court system that is letting the thugs out. Change the laws.

  7. Kane on December 1st, 2022 10:41 am

    I would like to say that our sheriffs and deputies are doing a better job since the long overdue change of command Chip Simmons is doing a fantastic job and is really on top of things.

    You do need to remember that the police force is a reactionary agency not a preventative one. In other words, they respond to and neutralize crime, but they absolutely do not prevent it after all if that were the case crime would be nonexistent.

  8. Bill T on December 1st, 2022 8:47 am

    There is a good reason for the crime rate dropping !!! BECAUSE IN ESCAMBIA COUNTY DO WRONG GO TO JAIL!!!! I’m no saying the decisions the Deputies make is always right because they are no granted but they do make a decision !!!! Folks ya got a good man driving this crew of officers and law enforcement personnel thank thank them for the dedication to the job they do

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