Escambia County Crime Rate Increases As Overall State Crime Falls

November 15, 2015

The crime rate fell across Florida while inching up in Escambia County, according to the 2015 Semi-Annual Uniform Crime Report released Friday by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

The report shows Florida’s crime volume dropped 2.2 percent compared to the first six months of 2014, but increased 2.6 percent in Escambia County.

The Semi-Annual UCR calculates crime volume, the number of index crimes known to law enforcement. The index crimes of murder, robbery, burglary, and larceny all fell  statewide during the reporting period while forcible sex offenses, aggravated assault and motor vehicle thefts increased across Florida.

Overall indexed crimes in Escambia County increased to 7,143 from 6,961 from January to June 2015 when compared to first six months of 2014.

Murders increased from 8 to 7, rapes from 69 to 97, robberies from 167 to 197, aggravated assaults from 753 to 911, and larcenies from 4,285 to 4,443. The number of burglaries decreased from 1,384 to 1,300 and motor vehicle thefts were down from 296 to 287. The percent of crimes cleared increased from 30.2 percent to 32.7 percent.

The Escambia County numbers include not only crimes investigated by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, but also the Pensacola Police Department, FDLE, the UWF Police Department and Pensacola State College Police. Three of Escambia County’s eight total murders were in the City of Pensacola, and the Pensacola Police Department investigated about 20 percent of all index crimes during the period.

During 2014, the overall crime rate in Escambia County decreased 9.1 percent when compared to the previous year.

Pictured: The scene of a fatal shooting in late January 2015 on Backwoods Road in Century. NorthEscambia.com file photo. Raw Escambia County data from the 2015 Semi-Annual Uniform Crime Report is below, click to enlarge.


Comments

21 Responses to “Escambia County Crime Rate Increases As Overall State Crime Falls”

  1. David Huie Green on November 18th, 2015 2:38 pm

    REGARDING:
    “David, I apologize for being offensive with my statements.”

    I forgive you.
    (Actually, it wasn’t offensive, just a distinction I thought needing to be made.)

    “It just seems that this type of family life you and I grew up with, and raised our children in are no longer the norm.”

    I’m not sure how normal it was back then. There were plenty of people my parents wouldn’t let me associate with because they knew what kind of parents they had.

    I’m impressed with how good so many are even with so many bad people.
    I remember, though that many of my neighbors and relatives have been involved in criminal activity and earned prison time.

    I had some very bad classmates and was glad when they dropped out of school to pursue their crooked paths and get out of the way of those trying to learn. We all did things we regret in retrospect.

    David for better memory

  2. Daniel on November 18th, 2015 10:34 am

    REGARDING,
    ” I agree with what SHOULD have been taught, but reject the idea that all of us are to blame for the failures of some of us.”

    David, I apologize for being offensive with my statements. It was not my intent to accuse everyone for failing as parents, which is why I tried to qualify my statement with, “we as a society have failed in this area”.
    There are many families that still believe in teaching respect and good work ethics and morals to their children.
    It just seams that this type of family life you and I grew up with, and raised our children in are no longer the norm.

    Daniel,
    for keeping it cool among old friends.

  3. David Huie Green on November 17th, 2015 2:55 pm

    REGARDING:
    “We have failed to teach our children that…”

    I agree with what SHOULD have been taught, but reject the idea that all of us are to blame for the failures of some of us.

    David for narrowly assigned blame

  4. Daniel on November 17th, 2015 7:04 am

    There are many contributing factors that effect the crime rate. We have proven that rehabilitation doesn’t work, prisons are full of repeat offenders. The sheriffs office is not tin the business of preventing crime, but enforcing the law, hence the name of his employees, LEO; Law Enforcement Officer, not CPO; Crime prevention officer. Crime prevention starts in the home. The family should be at the fore front of the war on crime, but we as a society have failed in this area. We have failed to teach our children respect for others and others property. We have failed to teach our children that hard work pays off. We have failed to teach our children that they need to be a productive member of society, and this is what makes our Nation strong. We have failed to teach our children that if they want to be respected they need to earn that respect through hard work. We have failed our children by doing to much for them and giving them what they want rather than having them earn it. We have failed our children by allowing them to always make up an excuse and blaming others for their failures. If we as a society want to reduce crime in our communities we need to start by adding one word back into our vocabulary, Habilitate,.

  5. Gman on November 16th, 2015 5:18 am

    The Sheriff is going to learn that DNA alone will not make a case. The suspect visited his family often, his DNA should be all over the house. I’m sure his lawyer knows he even hung pictures using the hammer “murder weapon”…Morgan’s witchcraft will get him a broom ride out of office.

  6. citizen on November 15th, 2015 7:49 pm

    Thank you for comments and feedback. I also note a lot of the crimes are NOT in Pensacola but in the county. Although I hope enforcement will improve I wonder if prevention and citizen involvement may need to improve also. I talked with a deputy and he said often the violence is between the criminals themselves. Thefts robbery and larceny are rampant. I do not want to be a victim. Insurance man told us they pick easy targets. Security cameras, locked doors, motion lights, locked mailboxes.I hope things improve.

  7. Johnny Justice on November 15th, 2015 3:30 pm

    The current sheriff’s campaign slogan is: “Keep the Momentum”. Maybe it should be: “Eight is Enough”. It appears Escambia County will again have the highest murder rate per capita of all Florida counties for 2015. It’s time for a new sheriff. I say, “Stop the Momentum”…….the current sheriff has had 7 years and has failed to lower the crime rate. As Doctor Phil says, “the best indication of future behavior is past behavior”.

  8. Kevin Vickrey on November 15th, 2015 2:22 pm

    Wake up folks, don’t let David Morgan spin his way out of this one. His slogan is “Keep the Momentum “. The citizens should tell him to “Stop the Dismantling”. He is systematically dismantling our Sheriffs Office. He did away with our Air unit, he has shut down the Molino/Cantonment Precinct. By the way, folks need to call him and demand that he put the 16 Deputies back up there in Molino. We went from 16 Deputies to 6 Deputies. I live in Molino and I don’t see Deputy coverage like I did. I understand that he was going to shutdown the Perdido Key Precinct but folks complained and it did not happen. Our Sheriff and his choices are why this crime rate is high.

  9. Voter on November 15th, 2015 2:17 pm

    With the current president opening our borders to any and all and Pensacola, as well as Mobile, being targets cities for Syrian “refugees”, I have no faith that Mr. Morgan can protect any of us if those “refugees” end up as terrorists, which has been proven the case over and over. Mr. Morgan’s inexperience and lack of leadership has allowed the drug trade to flourish. I shudder to think he would be our Sheriff if/when ISIS makes a showing here, as they recently did in Paris. The expected panic alone is beyond his capabilities, much less actually catching the perpetrators.

    Mr. Johnson, I’ll be voting for you, as my research indicates you have experience, as well as integrity. You’ve answered my questions with no waffling or political double speak. I appreciate that in any politician, although you don’t seem to be one. I like that, too.

  10. Puddin from Beulah on November 15th, 2015 10:20 am

    Well said Mr. Johnson. When the Duke of Escambia is more concerned with the wrinkles in his jacket or the part in his hair, then our county is in for a bad time. We need a “Roll up you sleeves and get your hands dirty” kind of Sheriff! I am sure that the public will agree that it is time to take the restraints off the catch dog and get to work!

  11. Johnny Justice on November 15th, 2015 9:29 am

    The current sheriff’s campaign slogan is: “Keep the Momentum”. Maybe it should be: “Eight is Enough”. I believe in addition to the increasing crime rate, Escambia County will again this year have the highest murder rate of all Florida counties per capita. Why would we (the citizens) want to keep this momentum? It’s time for a new sheriff. Many crimes can be traced back to Escambia County’s drug problem. I will be voting for sheriff’s candidate, John Johnson, who is a retired DEA agent and appears to have the experience to deal with Escambia County’s drug problem. Johnson started his law enforcement career at the sheriff’s office and has also worked the streets, unlike the current sheriff.

  12. Oversight on November 15th, 2015 9:13 am

    Time to pile it on. Look, there are some real problems in our justice system and the sheriff is only the start of it. Morgan’s blue moon witchcraft murders took over three months to effect an arrest and there is no known motive. The sheriff had to rely on FDLE’s crime lab for some DNA evidence. Remember, FDLE’s crime lab issues in fudging records not to long ago? Please, sheriff, tell us there is more than DNA in this case. In the mean while as the sheriff waited for FDLE to pull him out of his funk with his foot in mouth disease, the killer freely walk the streets among the citizens, and with what the sheriff said, I not so sure that he even has the right suspect. Now shift gears to the State Attorney. He steps-in and declares the death penalty in this case. He’s willing to waist millions of taxpayer dollars – yes, millions of $$$$$ for an old man who’ll probably never make it 20 years in prison anyway. The super due process in appeals that comes as baggage to the taxpayers in death penalty cases, which by the way sucks at the government coffers faster than democratic voters, will be welcome business for hundreds of the State Attorney’s lawyer buddies.

  13. northofI10 on November 15th, 2015 8:56 am

    It’s not a coincidence that the change in the crime stats will more than likely be linked to when street level crime units were disbanded, being politically correct became more important than being pro-active, and the breakdown of trust between deputies and the administration. The current sheriff is more interested in running for a photo-op and patting himself on the back rather than focusing on his sworn duties, but as pointed out when you’ve never been a law enforcement officer why should there be a surprise that crime is on the rise?

  14. Pat on November 15th, 2015 8:54 am

    John Johnson, that’s the same analogy for our fearless leader in Washington.

    Crime has become worse. Violent crime in particular. The thugs are bound and determined to take over.

  15. question to ponder on November 15th, 2015 8:44 am

    I remember Morgan saying that no one should be sheriff more than two terms, so why is he even running? Ronnie Mac got beat before. we need all new blood.

  16. Bob C. on November 15th, 2015 8:09 am

    @ Citizen…..indeed why is the clearance (crimes solved) rate so low?
    Why are criminals feeling they are able to do as they wish in Escambia County?

    On October 27, 2014, a Pensacola News Journal report by Kimberly Blair told of University of West Florida mathematics and statistics graduate students doing data-mining focused on Quality-of-Life.

    Their survey of the 3,108 contiguous counties in the United States of America found that (quoting from the article):
    “Escambia County has a worse crime rate per capita than 98 percent of the 3,108 counties in the contiguous United States.”
    And, “Safety was based on the rate of violent crimes: murder, rape, robbery, assault and drugs.”

    The state report today in the NorthEscambia.com article echoes that UWF report.

  17. voter on November 15th, 2015 7:24 am

    citizen – probably since there is so much crime, there’s no time to fully investigate as deputies run from the current crime to the next new one. it appears to be poor leadership and management investigating, which comes down from the top. Elections are just around the corner – get informed and vote.

  18. NorthofI10 on November 15th, 2015 7:21 am

    Didn’t the Duke of Escambia decree that the crime rate was down and we need to keep the current momentum?….

  19. John Johnson on November 15th, 2015 5:12 am

    Citizen, the clearance level is so low because the people of Escambia County ,7 years ago,chose to elect an individual with NO real law enforcement experience, He is not, and never has been, a real certified police officer. He’s never worked the streets. He is educated and speaks well, but he does not have what is needed to run a law enforcement agency. It takes more than just being a good orator. Besides, he’s got some pretty whacky ideas about how to solve crimes, anyway.

    The deputies/investigators are working their butts off, but the resources need to be realigned. They can’t clear more cases because they are constantly being assigned new cases, everyday.

    The increasing crime rate, especially the violent crimes, will effect our county/city image. Being reactive, instead of proactive, will not get you ahead of the ball.

  20. Ponch on November 15th, 2015 2:26 am

    I guess FDLE didn’t consult with Morgan on this because he tells us all the time that overall, crime is down in Escambia County.

  21. citizen on November 15th, 2015 12:35 am

    Why is the clearance percentage so low?