Mayor 'Very Proud' of Police After City Named Among Safest in Michigan

Following last week's naming of Rochester as one of the safest cities in Michigan by Movoto Real Estate, Rochester Mayor Jeffrey Cuthbertson says the honor is "great news" and credited police crews for keeping the city safe.

The list was generated by selecting Michigan cities with populations over 10,000 people and analyzing each with the following criteria: violent crime, property crime and the chance a resident would become a victim of a crime. Rochester ranked 10th in Michigan.

"Public safety is absolutely 'job one' for every local government in Michigan and it is great news that the City of Rochester is being recognized for its delivery on this critical responsibility," Cuthbertson said of the award. "We are very proud of the great work that the men and women serving in our Police and Fire Departments do to make Rochester one of the safest cities in Michigan and will continue to provide our City Administration and Chiefs the support needed to keep Rochester a safe place."

Movoto had this to say about Rochester:

“Also located in Oakland County just outside of Detroit, Rochester had only 141 reported crimes in 2012—132 of which were non-violent. To break this down a little more for you, let’s look at the property crimes. The majority, 101, were property theft/larceny, followed by 24 reported burglaries, and seven cases of motor vehicle theft.”

Rochester had some violent crimes – nine, of which none were murders, one was rape, two were robberies and six were aggravated assaults. According to the report, Rochester residents have just a one-in-91 chance of being a crime victim.

“We have always said that the police department is most effective when it is working in a true partnership with the citizens we serve. Our residents are the eyes and ears that notify the police about suspicious activity in their neighborhoods”, Rochester Police Chief Steve Schettenhelm said.  “It is also demonstrates that good crime prevention methods work. Keeping doors locked, garage doors closed and valuables out of sight all make a difference. I am very proud of the efforts made by the men and women of the police department who work around the clock to keep Rochester safe.”

 The entire Top 10 were from Livingston, Oakland, and Wayne counties, out of 102 locations with a population over 10,000 that Movoto surveyed.

“Rochester’s inclusion on the list is recognition that the city considers public safety a core service that is very important to every aspect of the city’s quality of life,” commented Rochester City Manager Jaymes Vettraino.  “Our residents, business owners and visitors can be confident that the City has invested in making sure our community is a safe and desirable place to be.”

Here is how the top ten shaped up:

Here’s the top 10:

1. Grosse Ile Township
2. Hamburg Township
3. South Lyon (tie)
4. Village of Milford (tie)
5. City of of Berkley
6. City of New Baltimore
7. Bloomfield Township
8. City of Riverview (tie)
9. West Bloomfield Township (tie)
10. City of Rochester