Crime in Atchison was down 19 percent in 2018, to the lowest rate in the city since 1986, with many areas showing improvement year over year.
There were 1,382 total criminal cases in 2018, down from 1,709 in 2017. Key indicators like theft, burglary, criminal damage and traffic accidents all decreased in 2018, which combined with a record clearance rate has city officials believing that Atchison is the safest it’s been in years.
“We are obviously proud of these numbers and more so of the job that our police department has done to put public safety as the top priority for our residents,” City Manager Becky Berger said. “Our officers are working hard to make a difference, and it shows.”
The police department had a 78% clearance rate on criminal cases in 2018, the best on record. The average clearance rate over the previous 10 years in Atchison was 62%. Nationally, clearance rates vary by crime. For instance, the highest clearance rate nationally is for murder cases – which was at 64.1% in the latest statistics available from the FBI.
Police Chief Mike Wilson said the department’s success in solving crime cases is attributed to a diligent, talented, experienced staff that works as a unit and cares.
“These numbers are great, but they only tell part of the story,” Wilson said. “Every person in this department works together and we care about the community and we want people to feel and be safe. We want to sustain this momentum and make Atchison the safest place to live and work.”
For more information and a more comprehensive list of crime statistics, the 2018 Annual Police Report is here:
If you have any questions, please call Mike Wilson, Chief of Police, at (913) 367-4323, or michael.wilson@atchisonlec.org.