Sterling Heights

Sterling Heights remains one of the safest cities in the country

By Terry Oparka
C & G Staff Writer

Based on crime statistics reported to the FBI in 2011, Sterling Heights ranked as the second safest city in Michigan.

Canton was named the safest city in the state overall on the list, and neighboring Troy placed the third.

CQ Press, a division of Congressional Quarterly, which publishes “City Crime Rankings: Crime in Metropolitan America,” ranks cities based on six crime categories: murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft and total crime figures as reported to the FBI for 2011.

Among cities with between 100,000 and 499,000 people, Sterling Heights was ranked as the safest city in Michigan and the 12th safest overall in that category in the country.

In contrast, overall, Detroit was ranked as the most dangerous among cities with populations greater than 500,000, and Flint was ranked the most dangerous city for those with populations between 100,000 and 499,999. The Detroit/Livonia/ Dearborn area was ranked the most dangerous metropolitan area overall. Detroit was the second most dangerous city on the list overall, with Camden, N.J., No. 1 of the 432 cities on the list.

Last year, Sterling Heights was ranked as the 36th safest city overall and the second safest city in the state, while Troy was the safest city in Michigan at 19 in that ranking.

Overall, Fishers, Ind., is the safest city in this year’s ranking. Farmington Hills ranked 52nd, Livonia 70th, Ann Arbor 80th and Clinton Township 127th. 

“We’re very pleased to rank so high,” Sterling Heights City Manager Mark Vanderpool said to the Sterling Heights City Council at the Feb. 5 meeting. “We’re clearly in the 90th percentile range,” he said, referring to the city’s ranking as 12th safest city in its population group. 

“We work at it — the police, city administration, employees and residents who call the police if they see something suspicious,” Notte said. “It’s everybody working together.”

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Terry Oparka at toparka@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1054.