Irving, Texas, Is Fifth Safest City In United States
(IRVING, TEXAS) — The City of Irving’s violent crime rate ranks substantially below other cities, according to recent FBI statistics (2012).
Irving had a murder rate 72 percent below average; rape rate 55 percent below average; and robbery rate 47 percent below average when compared to other cities with populations more than 200,000, making Irving the fifth safest city in the United States. That’s according to the Business Insider report.
“We restructured our organization around specific goals several years ago to improve and maximize performance,” said Irving City Manager Tommy Gonzalez. “I think these results underscore the need to apply a multi-departmental approach to reducing crime.”
Over the last seven years, that approach has decreased Irving’s overall crime rate by 35 percent, with violent crime dropping 41 percent.
“The Irving Police and the Code Enforcement Departments joined forces several years ago to crack down on crime infested areas,” said Larry Boyd, chief of Irving Police Department. “We demolished 30 run-down properties that included apartment complexes and hotels. Dealing with our substandard properties made Irving less attractive for criminal activity. By concentrating our efforts, taking swift and sweeping action — along with working to build strong neighborhoods — we significantly reduced crime and made Irving safer for everyone.”
For more on the story, visit http://www.businessinsider.com/safe-cities-in-america-2013-7.
About the City of Irving
Irving is the second city in the nation and the first in the State of Texas to receive the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (2012) as well as the first municipality in Texas’ history to receive the Texas Award for Performance Excellence (2011). Irving is the 13th largest city in the state with 217,000 residents and is home to the largest office park in North Texas, where a number of Fortune 1000 companies are headquartered. For more information, visit cityofirving.org.
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