FDLE credits law enforcement for downward lowered crime rate

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - The Florida Department of Law Enforcement says overall crime in Florida was down 8 percent from January through June. 

But the report also shows the number of murders in the state was up 2.6 percent.

That's partly because of the Valentine's Day school shooting in Parkland that killed 17 people. The Marjory Stoneman Douglas massacre was also part of an increase in deaths caused by firearms.

Sexual assault offences were up 4 percent across the state, but robbery, burglary and larceny all decreased.

FDLE spokesperson Gretl Plessinger says the downward trend in crime is a credit to law enforcement across the state.

"Law enforcement, whether it's state, local, or federal… we all work together to proactively prevent crimes and investigate them aggressively when they happen," said Plessinger.

Metro areas with the largest overall increase in crime include the Gainesville and Pensacola regions. Large counties in Central and South Florida generally saw a decrease in crime.

2017 saw the lowest crime rate in 47 years in the state of Florida.