It’s official: Calhoun and Liberty counties remain two of the safest places to live in the sunshine state. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) released the 2011 Annual Uniform Crime Report with Liberty County in the number one spot for lowest crime rate and Calhoun County coming in second.
Overall, the state averaged the lowest crime rate in 41 years with violent crime down 3.7 percent.
Liberty County recorded seven aggravated assaults, 17 burglaries, and 21 larcenies in 2011. The county, with a population of 8370, reported no murders, rapes, robberies or motor vehicle thefts.
Over in Calhoun County, with a population of 14,685, crimes on the report included one murder, one rape, one robbery, 10 aggravated assaults, 37 burglaries, 65 larcenies and eight motor vehicle thefts.
The report figures the crime rate based on the number per 100,000. Liberty County’s rate is at 537.6 and Calhoun’s is at 837.6. To give an indication of how low these rates are, the state average is at 4070.2.
“Florida’s sheriffs and deputies are willing to give their lives to protect Florida, and we are grateful for their sacrifice and for another year of reduced crime,” said Steve Casey, executive director of the Florida Sheriffs Association. “The 2011 Uniform Crime Report demonstrates our collaborative work is paying off and that we are maintaining our quality of life.”
