Three of the top five most-violent cities in America are in Michigan, according to new FBI statistics released Monday.
Detroit tops the list, with Flint and Saginaw coming in third and fourth, respectively, for the rate of violent crime per capita.
The FBI's definition of violent crime includes murder and non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault.
While Saginaw has dropped one spot from last year, Flint is on track to see one of its deadliest years in history. With three months left in the year, the city already has had 46 homicides, an increase from the total of 30 homicides last year.
Despite a spike in homicides, Flint Police Chief James Tolbert says overall, Part I crimes, which include violent and property crimes, are down from last year.
"Overall the Part I crime is down 11%, so we're in the right direction. And we have to come up with ways that we can address some of these issues on the front end so that we're not having these kinds of conversations," Tolbert said.
Last week Flint was admitted to the Violence Reduction Network, a national network made up of 10 U.S. cities that will bring new resources to Flint.
"The government is coming in and we are finding ways that we can address crime issues. We're looking at technology, we're looking at training and analytical support to where we can do a deep dive and try to prevent crime and not necessarily respond to it," Tolbert said.
– Paulette Parker, Michigan Radio Newsroom
