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Crime Down in Many North Central Florida Counties, According to FDLE Report

Florida’s crime rate continues to drop.

Crime is down 3.8 percent from 2012, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Annual Unified Crime Report.

Gretel Plessinger, communications director for FDLE, said the report is put together from the collection of 405 state law enforcement records.

Plessinger said the total crime index change, which went from 725,987 to 698,607, is the lowest it’s been in the 43 years the department has published annual reports.

Counties in North Central Florida are also seeing a decrease in crime. Many counties reported a decrease. Marion County reported 2.2 percent decrease, Alachua County reported 8.9 percent decrease, Putnam County reported 17.1 percent decrease, Bradford County reported 23.4 percent decrease, Union County reported 16.1 percent decrease and 28.2 percent decrease was reported in Gilchrist County.

However, some counties in the area have seen an increase in crime. Crime is up 5.1 percent in Columbia County, 6.1 percent in Suwannee County and 6.5 percent in Dixie County.

Levy County had a significant drop of 63.2 percent. Lt. Scott Tummond from the Levy County Sheriff’s Office said there is a discrepancy in the reporting for that county.

He said the sheriff’s office has software issues that do not allow them to accurately report their numbers.

“The sheriff is looking into getting new software to alleviate the problem,” he said.

Plessinger said the Levy County Sheriff’s Office numbers are not included in the report.

Monica is a reporter who can be contacted by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news@wuft.org.