Anniston crime rate decreases

Anniston city officials credit new ideas and new leadership for a decrease in the city's crime rate.

Uniform Crime Report statistics from the FBI say the cit
y's crime rate is down eight and a half percent, and down for the second year in a row.

City officials credit new ideas, such as more patrols in higher crime areas, open communication through the department's Facebook page, and helping federal authorities to shut down a major drug operation in South Anniston, among other things.

Anniston's crime rate is down six percent in a number of Part One offense categories, including murder, sexual assault, assault and robbery.