Some city departments deploy extra officers when the weather warms up and crime rates rise. But in other, typically warmer areas, summer isn’t all that different than other seasons.
To gauge typical crime patterns, Governing reviewed monthly data that 384 larger law enforcement agencies reported to the FBI between 2010 and 2012. On average, monthly crime for seven major offense types increased nearly 10 percent between June and August from the rest of the year. The majority of agencies reviewed serve warmer jurisdictions that typically don’t experience large drop offs in crime during the winter months. For other cities, though, stemming violence in the summertime is a far more difficult task.
While it’s too early to say how most cities fared this year, many police agencies and local governments initiated efforts aimed at limiting summer crime. The New York City Police Department, for example, deployed additional cops and reassigned those at desks to troubled areas for its “Summer All Out” initiative. In Minneapolis, police similarly stepped up foot patrols following a sharp increase in shootings this summer.
Areas where crime surges the most in the summer tend to be northern cities in states like Minnesota and New York. In all, 42 police agencies reviewed recorded average increases of greater than 20 percent compared to times of the year.
“It’s almost a cliché in the northeast that things get busier in the summer for police,” said Michael Maxfield, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. “They expect it.”
In Erie, Pa., totals for the seven major crime types rose by an average of 35 percent during the summer months -- one of the highest increases nationally. The city’s harsh winters likely help push down crime totals, and police there also see more activity from visitors during the summer months.
A few of the law enforcement agencies that registered the steepest fluctuations in crime serve summer tourist destinations. Take Virginia Beach, Va., for example, where crime increased an average of nearly 23 percent. A few million people visit the city’s oceanfront each year, and agency statistics indicate about 30 percent of those arrested annually are from outside the Hampton Roads metro area.
Some smaller resort towns hire seasonal police during the summer. Depending on their training, these uniformed officers may lack full police powers and could perform traffic enforcement and related duties.
The following table shows changes in average monthly offenses for law enforcement agencies with published monthly data serving at least 100,000 residents.
Summer Crime on Average
| Agency | Average % Increase/Decrease in Offenses During Summer | Average Monthly Offenses: June-August | Average % Increase/Decrease in Violent Crime During Summer | Average Monthly Violent Offenses: June-August |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ada County (Idaho) | 9% | 143 | 67% | 3 |
| Aiken County (S.C.) | 7% | 478 | 24% | 11 |
| Alameda County (Calif.) | 6% | 355 | -1% | 20 |
| Anderson County (S.C.) | 10% | 919 | 22% | 15 |
| Augusta-Richmond County (Ga.) | 10% | 1,759 | 0% | 60 |
| Beaufort County (S.C.) | 15% | 608 | -5% | 10 |
| Berkeley County (S.C.) | 10% | 570 | 20% | 12 |
| Bernalillo County (N.M.) | 16% | 481 | 22% | 13 |
| Bexar County (Texas) | 5% | 974 | -6% | 14 |
| Brazoria County (Texas) | 9% | 208 | 0% | 4 |
| Buncombe County (N.C.) | 5% | 209 | 15% | 5 |
| Cameron County (Texas) | 7% | 248 | 40% | 4 |
| Charles County (Md.) | 11% | 462 | 9% | 17 |
| Cherokee County (Ga.) | 13% | 268 | 26% | 4 |
| Clackamas County (Ore.) | 7% | 575 | -13% | 11 |
| Clark County (Wash.) | 5% | 461 | 24% | 11 |
| Columbia County (Ga.) | 8% | 295 | 21% | 3 |
| Contra Costa County (Calif.) | 10% | 346 | 17% | 15 |
| Davidson County (N.C.) | 13% | 214 | 11% | 3 |
| Dutchess County (N.Y.) | 20% | 107 | 121% | 2 |
| East Baton Rouge Parish (La.) | 6% | 914 | -4% | 19 |
| El Dorado County (Calif.) | 12% | 278 | 26% | 4 |
| El Paso County (Colo.) | 4% | 277 | 11% | 9 |
| Elkhart County (Ind.) | 26% | 210 | 20% | 3 |
| Erie County (N.Y.) | 34% | 167 | 54% | 2 |
| Forsyth County (Ga.) | 14% | 222 | 113% | 4 |
| Fort Bend County (Texas) | 7% | 660 | -5% | 14 |
| Frederick County (Md.) | 13% | 243 | -5% | 3 |
| Fresno County (Calif.) | 13% | 589 | 25% | 16 |
| Greenville County (S.C.) | 9% | 1,473 | 14% | 42 |
| Guilford County (N.C.) | 6% | 255 | 9% | 3 |
| Hall County (Ga.) | 11% | 296 | 36% | 6 |
| Hamilton County (Ohio) | 18% | 738 | -2% | 17 |
| Hamilton County (Tenn.) | 8% | 262 | -1% | 3 |
| Harford County (Md.) | 12% | 352 | 10% | 13 |
| Hidalgo County (Texas) | 11% | 1,022 | 5% | 19 |
| Iredell County (N.C.) | 1% | 277 | -33% | 2 |
| Jefferson County (Ala.) | 8% | 623 | -12% | 18 |
| Jefferson County (Colo.) | 5% | 300 | -4% | 3 |
| Jefferson County (Mo.) | 23% | 397 | 8% | 4 |
| Jefferson Parish (La.) | 4% | 1,675 | 3% | 47 |
| Johnston County (N.C.) | 5% | 247 | 42% | 4 |
| Kent County (Mich.) | 20% | 622 | -12% | 9 |
| Kern County (Calif.) | 4% | 1,343 | 11% | 50 |
| King County (Wash.) | 9% | 614 | -9% | 17 |
| Kitsap County (Wash.) | 14% | 513 | 1% | 11 |
| Knox County (Tenn.) | 5% | 754 | -19% | 10 |
| Lexington County (S.C.) | 7% | 660 | 16% | 15 |
| Livingston County (Mich.) | 24% | 106 | -6% | 2 |
| Livingston Parish (La.) | 18% | 386 | -20% | 3 |
| Los Angeles County (Calif.) | 2% | 2,470 | 7% | 161 |
| Loudoun County (Va.) | 13% | 441 | 28% | 8 |
| Macomb County (Mich.) | 21% | 419 | 51% | 10 |
| Maricopa County (Ariz.) | 2% | 552 | -8% | 11 |
| Mobile County (Ala.) | 6% | 403 | -13% | 5 |
| Monroe County (Mich.) | 15% | 337 | -5% | 7 |
| Monroe County (N.Y.) | 31% | 557 | 35% | 8 |
| Monterey County (Calif.) | -2% | 197 | 10% | 7 |
| Montgomery Cnty Detective Div (Texas) | 10% | 886 | -2% | 14 |
| Nassau County (N.Y.) | 10% | 1,687 | -1% | 65 |
| Oakland County (Mich.) | 24% | 707 | 26% | 19 |
| Onondaga County (N.Y.) | 24% | 347 | -1% | 6 |
| Onslow County (N.C.) | 8% | 529 | 6% | 7 |
| Orange County (Calif.) | 18% | 254 | 0% | 4 |
| Ottawa County (Mich.) | 31% | 567 | -18% | 9 |
| Paulding County (Ga.) | 17% | 372 | 21% | 3 |
| Pierce County (Wash.) | 9% | 1,156 | 11% | 31 |
| Pima County (Ariz.) | 8% | 1,323 | 13% | 23 |
| Pinal County (Ariz.) | 0% | 363 | 3% | 6 |
| Placer County (Calif.) | 17% | 239 | -11% | 4 |
| Richland County (S.C.) | 6% | 1,301 | 6% | 42 |
| Riverside County (Calif.) | 3% | 1,084 | -21% | 18 |
| Sacramento County (Calif.) | 6% | 1,593 | 5% | 106 |
| Salt Lake County Unified Police Department (Utah) | 10% | 1,021 | 8% | 20 |
| San Bernardino County (Calif.) | 6% | 745 | 22% | 23 |
| San Diego County (Calif.) | 4% | 921 | 17% | 32 |
| San Joaquin County (Calif.) | 6% | 579 | -2% | 16 |
| San Luis Obispo County (Calif.) | 22% | 181 | 21% | 4 |
| San Mateo County (Calif.) | -2% | 233 | -24% | 4 |
| Santa Barbara County (Calif.) | 4% | 215 | -5% | 5 |
| Santa Cruz County (Calif.) | 1% | 244 | -5% | 5 |
| Saratoga County (N.Y.) | 30% | 179 | 50% | 1 |
| Shelby County (Tenn.) | 6% | 552 | 0% | 9 |
| Sonoma County (Calif.) | 14% | 227 | 56% | 9 |
| Spartanburg County (S.C.) | 13% | 769 | 16% | 18 |
| Spokane County (Wash.) | 9% | 424 | 28% | 5 |
| Spotsylvania County (Va.) | 9% | 355 | 32% | 10 |
| St. Charles County (Mo.) | 22% | 145 | -9% | 1 |
| St. Joseph County (Ind.) | 18% | 209 | 92% | 4 |
| St. Mary's County (Md.) | 13% | 332 | 10% | 6 |
| St. Tammany Parish (La.) | 15% | 339 | 17% | 4 |
| Stafford County (Va.) | 3% | 279 | 22% | 7 |
| Stanislaus County (Calif.) | 12% | 345 | 29% | 13 |
| Stark County (Ohio) | 28% | 315 | 2% | 5 |
| Thurston County (Wash.) | 14% | 353 | 49% | 6 |
| Travis County (Texas) | 2% | 478 | 12% | 5 |
| Tulare County (Calif.) | 11% | 395 | 1% | 11 |
| Union County (N.C.) | 3% | 296 | 24% | 5 |
| Wake County (N.C.) | 8% | 296 | 53% | 6 |
| Warren County (Ohio) | 36% | 165 | 33% | 3 |
| Washington County (Md.) | 4% | 152 | 58% | 3 |
| Washington County (Ore.) | 9% | 357 | -14% | 9 |
| Washoe County (Nev.) | 21% | 164 | -27% | 2 |
| Washtenaw County (Mich.) | 11% | 336 | 11% | 13 |
| Waukesha County (Wis.) | 35% | 99 | 50% | 1 |
| Williamson County (Texas) | 6% | 178 | -16% | 2 |
| Wright County (Minn.) | 36% | 209 | -11% | 1 |
| York County (S.C.) | 22% | 516 | -6% | 6 |
| Abilene Police Department (Texas) | 17% | 701 | 6% | 15 |
| Akron Police Department (Ohio) | 15% | 1,767 | 14% | 76 |
| Alaska State Troopers (Alaska) | 30% | 638 | 29% | 13 |
| Albemarle County Police Department (Va.) | 0% | 223 | 6% | 4 |
| Albuquerque Police Department (N.M.) | 5% | 3,587 | -1% | 112 |
| Alexandria Police Department (Va.) | 16% | 428 | -5% | 12 |
| Allentown Police Department (Pa.) | 16% | 686 | -2% | 38 |
| Amarillo Police Department (Texas) | 6% | 1,295 | 2% | 31 |
| Amherst Town Police Department (N.Y.) | 16% | 264 | -4% | 3 |
| Anaheim Police Department (Calif.) | 3% | 1,083 | -14% | 42 |
| Anchorage Police Department (Alaska) | 21% | 1,609 | 26% | 76 |
| Ann Arbor Police Department (Mich.) | 17% | 345 | 7% | 9 |
| Anne Arundel County Police Department (Md.) | 10% | 1,764 | 22% | 61 |
| Antioch Police Department (Calif.) | -12% | 443 | 0% | 30 |
| Arlington County Police Department (Va.) | 7% | 453 | 11% | 14 |
| Arlington Police Department (Texas) | 8% | 2,146 | -8% | 53 |
| Arvada Police Department (Colo.) | 18% | 302 | -21% | 4 |
| Athens-Clarke County Police Department (Ga.) | 8% | 669 | 19% | 17 |
| Atlanta Police Department (Ga.) | 11% | 3,888 | 15% | 227 |
| Aurora Police Department (Colo.) | 5% | 1,267 | 2% | 59 |
| Austin Police Department (Texas) | 4% | 5,130 | 6% | 119 |
| Bakersfield Police Department (Calif.) | 7% | 1,759 | 2% | 59 |
| Baltimore City Police Department (Md.) | 10% | 4,276 | 5% | 350 |
| Baltimore County Police Department (Md.) | 6% | 3,487 | 3% | 131 |
| Baton Rouge Police Department (La.) | 10% | 1,828 | 3% | 92 |
| Beaumont Police Department (Texas) | 4% | 903 | 11% | 40 |
| Bellevue Police Department (Wash.) | -1% | 351 | -16% | 6 |
| Berkeley Police Department (Calif.) | 6% | 555 | 14% | 35 |
| Billings Police Department (Mont.) | 14% | 565 | 2% | 7 |
| Boise Police Department (Idaho) | 17% | 736 | 13% | 13 |
| Boston Police Department (Mass.) | 15% | 2,972 | 9% | 199 |
| Bridgeport Police Department (Conn.) | 6% | 837 | -9% | 62 |
| Brownsville Police Department (Texas) | 1% | 1,027 | -6% | 14 |
| Buffalo Police Department (N.Y.) | 21% | 2,288 | 7% | 142 |
| Burbank Police Department (Calif.) | 4% | 274 | -2% | 9 |
| Cambridge Police Department (Mass.) | 23% | 436 | 3% | 15 |
| Carlsbad Police Department (Calif.) | 7% | 229 | -9% | 5 |
| Carroll County State Police (Md.) | 20% | 138 | 36% | 2 |
| Carrollton Police Department (Texas) | 3% | 355 | -32% | 5 |
| Cary Police Department (N.C.) | 10% | 258 | 3% | 4 |
| Cedar Rapids Police Department (Iowa) | 14% | 597 | 7% | 13 |
| Centennial Police Department (Colo.) | 18% | 171 | -22% | 4 |
| Chandler Police Department (Ariz.) | 1% | 772 | -3% | 19 |
| Charleston Police Department (S.C.) | 4% | 483 | 10% | 15 |
| Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (N.C.) | 9% | 4,604 | 6% | 176 |
| Chattanooga Police Department (Tenn.) | 4% | 1,306 | -1% | 45 |
| Chesapeake Police Department (Va.) | 14% | 1,150 | 24% | 28 |
| Chester County State Police (Pa.) | 0% | 157 | -15% | 5 |
| Chesterfield County Police Department (Va.) | 3% | 1,127 | -3% | 19 |
| Chicago Police Department (Ill.) | 18% | 13,586 | 15% | 1,327 |
| Chula Vista Police Department (Calif.) | 2% | 580 | 0% | 24 |
| Cincinnati Police Department (Ohio) | 15% | 2,843 | 12% | 194 |
| Clarksville Police Department (Tenn.) | 13% | 679 | -8% | 14 |
| Clayton County Police Department (Ga.) | 13% | 1,280 | 16% | 53 |
| Cleveland Police Department (Ohio) | 19% | 4,436 | 17% | 341 |
| Cobb County Police Department (Ga.) | 8% | 1,479 | 26% | 49 |
| Colorado Springs Police Department (Colo.) | 6% | 1,809 | 3% | 73 |
| Columbia Police Department (Mo.) | 7% | 511 | -12% | 15 |
| Columbia Police Department (S.C.) | 2% | 911 | 16% | 42 |
| Columbus Police Department (Ga.) | 18% | 7,311 | 16% | 362 |
| Columbus Police Department (Ohio) | 12% | 1,559 | 9% | 44 |
| Concord Police Department (Calif.) | 1% | 460 | -8% | 15 |
| Connecticut State Police (Conn.) | 12% | 777 | 4% | 10 |
| Corona Police Department (Calif.) | 1% | 366 | -2% | 9 |
| Corpus Christi Police Department (Texas) | 9% | 2,054 | 2% | 49 |
| Costa Mesa Police Department (Calif.) | 3% | 381 | 15% | 11 |
| Dallas Police Department (Texas) | 7% | 7,716 | 8% | 428 |
| Daly City Police Department (Calif.) | -6% | 214 | -20% | 6 |
| Davenport Police Department (Iowa) | 11% | 627 | 17% | 17 |
| Dayton Police Department (Ohio) | 20% | 1,330 | 18% | 77 |
| Dekalb County Police Department (Ga.) | 9% | 3,912 | 23% | 197 |
| Denton Police Department (Texas) | 7% | 404 | -13% | 10 |
| Denver Police Department (Colo.) | 11% | 2,588 | 10% | 135 |
| Des Moines Police Department (Iowa) | 15% | 1,499 | 13% | 32 |
| Detroit Police Department (Mich.) | 16% | 7,228 | 26% | 580 |
| District Of Columbia Police Department (DC) | 13% | 4,277 | 8% | 362 |
| Downey Police Department (Calif.) | -7% | 377 | -9% | 17 |
| Durham Police Department (N.C.) | 10% | 1,290 | -3% | 60 |
| Edison Township Police Department (N.J.) | 17% | 193 | -28% | 5 |
| El Cajon Police Department (Calif.) | 1% | 307 | 27% | 19 |
| El Monte Police Department (Calif.) | -8% | 260 | 6% | 22 |
| El Paso Police Department (Texas) | 11% | 2,553 | 28% | 68 |
| Elizabeth Police Department (N.J.) | 5% | 625 | 22% | 70 |
| Elk Grove Police Department (Calif.) | 6% | 360 | -17% | 9 |
| Erie Police Department (Pa.) | 35% | 561 | 12% | 22 |
| Escondido Police Department (Calif.) | 5% | 452 | -6% | 19 |
| Eugene Police Department (Ore.) | -4% | 738 | -1% | 21 |
| Evansville Police Department (Ind.) | 14% | 811 | 13% | 21 |
| Everett Police Department (Wash.) | 6% | 775 | -8% | 18 |
| Fairfax County Police Department (Va.) | 11% | 2,075 | 1% | 43 |
| Fairfield Police Department (Calif.) | 7% | 406 | 0% | 16 |
| Fargo Police Department (N.D.) | 26% | 441 | 8% | 9 |
| Fayetteville Police Department (N.C.) | 10% | 1,580 | 8% | 52 |
| Flint Police Department (Mich.) | 18% | 1,092 | 18% | 76 |
| Fontana Police Department (Calif.) | 3% | 546 | -7% | 23 |
| Fort Collins Police Department (Colo.) | 21% | 564 | -6% | 8 |
| Fort Wayne Police Department (Ind.) | 21% | 1,267 | 1% | 40 |
| Fort Worth Police Department (Texas) | 7% | 4,172 | 2% | 144 |
| Fremont Police Department (Calif.) | 8% | 502 | 4% | 16 |
| Fresno Police Department (Calif.) | 5% | 2,989 | 12% | 102 |
| Frisco Police Department (Texas) | 10% | 284 | 24% | 3 |
| Fullerton Police Department (Calif.) | -2% | 426 | -10% | 12 |
| Garden Grove Police Department (Calif.) | 0% | 398 | 7% | 16 |
| Garland Police Department (Texas) | 6% | 1,024 | 2% | 24 |
| Gilbert Police Department (Ariz.) | -2% | 419 | 11% | 8 |
| Glendale Police Department (Ariz.) | 1% | 1,604 | 10% | 42 |
| Glendale Police Department (Calif.) | -2% | 347 | 9% | 11 |
| Grand Prairie Police Department (Texas) | 5% | 720 | 17% | 23 |
| Grand Rapids Police Department (Mich.) | 28% | 1,219 | 22% | 55 |
| Green Bay Police Department (Wis.) | 19% | 395 | 2% | 11 |
| Greensboro Police Department (N.C.) | 12% | 1,492 | 25% | 66 |
| Gresham Police Department (Ore.) | 2% | 486 | -4% | 18 |
| Gwinnett County Police Department (Ga.) | 11% | 1,982 | 26% | 86 |
| Hampton Police Department (Va.) | 6% | 667 | -6% | 16 |
| Harris County Sheriff's Department (Texas) | 7% | 6,724 | 10% | 276 |
| Hartford Police Department (Conn.) | 16% | 853 | 4% | 58 |
| Hawaii County Police Department (Hawaii) | 3% | 624 | 11% | 12 |
| Hayward Police Department (Calif.) | 1% | 451 | -3% | 34 |
| Henderson Police Department (Nev.) | 4% | 695 | 6% | 21 |
| Henrico County Police Department (Va.) | 13% | 1,022 | 23% | 27 |
| Henry County Police Department (Ga.) | 12% | 550 | 23% | 13 |
| High Point Police Department (N.C.) | 16% | 571 | 1% | 19 |
| Honolulu Police Department (Hawaii) | 2% | 3,517 | -9% | 84 |
| Horry County Police Department (S.C.) | 19% | 1,163 | 9% | 24 |
| Houston Police Department (Texas) | 6% | 14,665 | 5% | 859 |
| Howard County Police Department (Md.) | 15% | 921 | 9% | 21 |
| Huntington Beach Police Department (Calif.) | 16% | 634 | 17% | 13 |
| Huntsville Police Department (Ala.) | 8% | 1,451 | 4% | 43 |
| Independence Police Department (Mo.) | 14% | 851 | -7% | 13 |
| Indianapolis Police Department (Ind.) | 14% | 6,608 | 14% | 362 |
| Inglewood Police Department (Calif.) | 5% | 356 | 4% | 35 |
| Irvine Police Department (Calif.) | 8% | 370 | -3% | 4 |
| Irving Police Department (Texas) | 3% | 843 | -10% | 14 |
| Jackson Police Department (Miss.) | 15% | 1,549 | 17% | 100 |
| Jersey City Police Department (N.J.) | 13% | 861 | 7% | 87 |
| Kansas City Police Department (Mo.) | 14% | 3,568 | 14% | 186 |
| Killeen Police Department (Texas) | 7% | 770 | 9% | 28 |
| Knoxville Police Department (Tenn.) | 10% | 1,536 | -1% | 59 |
| Lafayette Police Department (La.) | 5% | 813 | 29% | 25 |
| Lakewood Police Department (Colo.) | 10% | 762 | -7% | 19 |
| Lancaster Police Department (Calif.) | 5% | 489 | 4% | 29 |
| Lansing Police Department (Mich.) | 21% | 686 | 11% | 32 |
| Laredo Police Department (Texas) | 3% | 1,365 | 2% | 25 |
| Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (Nev.) | 7% | 6,968 | 7% | 395 |
| Lexington Police Department (Ky.) | 16% | 1,506 | -6% | 54 |
| Lincoln Police Department (Neb.) | 15% | 1,406 | 19% | 33 |
| Little Rock Police Department (Ark.) | 6% | 2,342 | 10% | 92 |
| Long Beach Police Department (Calif.) | 6% | 1,652 | 5% | 121 |
| Los Angeles Police Department (Calif.) | 3% | 11,919 | 5% | 967 |
| Louisville Metro Police Department (Ky.) | 13% | 3,787 | 9% | 161 |
| Lowell Police Department (Mass.) | 21% | 571 | 15% | 21 |
| Lubbock Police Department (Texas) | 6% | 1,604 | -7% | 33 |
| Madison Police Department (Wis.) | 15% | 940 | 2% | 32 |
| Manchester Police Department (N.H.) | 13% | 629 | -8% | 20 |
| Maui County Police Department (Hawaii) | -4% | 694 | 14% | 13 |
| Mcallen Police Department (Texas) | 9% | 701 | 35% | 10 |
| Mckinney Police Department (Texas) | 5% | 346 | 6% | 8 |
| Memphis Police Department (Tenn.) | 12% | 7,621 | 10% | 337 |
| Mesa Police Department (Ariz.) | 2% | 1,807 | -1% | 54 |
| Mesquite Police Department (Texas) | 4% | 707 | 26% | 19 |
| Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (Tenn.) | 10% | 4,792 | 15% | 203 |
| Midland Police Department (Texas) | 18% | 493 | -9% | 7 |
| Milwaukee Police Department (Wis.) | 16% | 4,238 | 18% | 315 |
| Modesto Police Department (Calif.) | 2% | 1,077 | 0% | 43 |
| Montgomery County Police Department (Md.) | 17% | 2,209 | 2% | 84 |
| Moreno Valley Police Department (Calif.) | -2% | 632 | -4% | 31 |
| Murfreesboro Police Department (Tenn.) | 7% | 685 | -5% | 15 |
| Murrieta Police Deparment (Calif.) | -3% | 150 | -12% | 3 |
| New Castle County Police Department (Del.) | 20% | 1,131 | 0% | 34 |
| New Haven Police Department (Conn.) | 10% | 1,184 | 14% | 82 |
| New Orleans Police Department (La.) | 8% | 1,778 | 0% | 114 |
| Newark Police Department (N.J.) | 14% | 1,491 | 3% | 171 |
| Newport News Police Department (Va.) | 10% | 961 | 0% | 36 |
| Norfolk Police Department (Va.) | 10% | 1,643 | -2% | 57 |
| Norman Police Department (Okla.) | 11% | 376 | -15% | 8 |
| Norwalk Police Department (Calif.) | 9% | 274 | 4% | 15 |
| Oakland Police Department (Calif.) | 4% | 3,026 | 13% | 357 |
| Oceanside Police Department (Calif.) | 10% | 544 | 7% | 21 |
| Odessa Police Department (Texas) | 8% | 671 | -28% | 10 |
| Oklahoma City Police Department (Okla.) | 8% | 3,893 | 8% | 140 |
| Omaha Police Department (Neb.) | 14% | 2,276 | 20% | 94 |
| Ontario Police Department (Calif.) | 3% | 551 | 2% | 24 |
| Orange Police Department (Calif.) | -4% | 269 | -20% | 5 |
| Oxnard Police Department (Calif.) | 0% | 482 | 1% | 28 |
| Palmdale Police Department (Calif.) | 10% | 461 | 8% | 26 |
| Pasadena Police Department (Calif.) | 8% | 724 | 8% | 19 |
| Pasadena Police Department (Texas) | -6% | 366 | 20% | 20 |
| Paterson Police Department (N.J.) | 13% | 814 | 18% | 80 |
| Peoria Police Department (Ariz.) | 3% | 482 | -5% | 8 |
| Philadelphia Police Department (Pa.) | 10% | 9,113 | 8% | 829 |
| Phoenix Police Department (Ariz.) | 2% | 7,060 | 2% | 341 |
| Pittsburgh Police Bureau (Pa.) | 25% | 1,867 | 17% | 117 |
| Plano Police Department (Texas) | 4% | 779 | -10% | 15 |
| Pomona Police Department (Calif.) | 1% | 572 | -8% | 32 |
| Portland Police Bureau (Ore.) | 3% | 3,138 | 1% | 102 |
| Prince George'S County Police Department (Md.) | 10% | 2,993 | 2% | 203 |
| Prince William County Police Department (Va.) | 13% | 1,043 | -4% | 21 |
| Providence Police Department (R.I.) | 12% | 1,055 | 13% | 45 |
| Provo Police Department (Utah) | 22% | 349 | 12% | 6 |
| Pueblo Police Department (Colo.) | 31% | 774 | 15% | 20 |
| Raleigh Police Department (N.C.) | 8% | 1,686 | 13% | 72 |
| Rancho Cucamonga Police Department (Calif.) | 0% | 393 | -2% | 10 |
| Reno Police Department (Nev.) | 8% | 977 | 24% | 40 |
| Rialto Police Department (Calif.) | 1% | 362 | -21% | 16 |
| Richardson Police Department (Texas) | -1% | 298 | -10% | 8 |
| Richmond Police Department (Calif.) | 15% | 1,354 | 7% | 67 |
| Richmond Police Department (Va.) | 4% | 542 | 21% | 41 |
| Riverside Police Department (Calif.) | 1% | 1,159 | 9% | 51 |
| Rochester Police Department (Minn.) | 31% | 339 | 34% | 12 |
| Rochester Police Department (N.Y.) | 21% | 1,798 | 16% | 87 |
| Rockford Police Department (Ill.) | 20% | 1,352 | 32% | 67 |
| Roseville Police Department (Calif.) | 12% | 394 | 35% | 9 |
| Round Rock Police Department (Texas) | -4% | 285 | 13% | 7 |
| Sacramento Police Department (Calif.) | 8% | 2,386 | 8% | 129 |
| Saint Louis Police Department (Mo.) | 17% | 3,339 | 17% | 218 |
| Salem Police Department (Ore.) | -3% | 640 | -17% | 12 |
| Salinas Police Department (Calif.) | -7% | 541 | -6% | 37 |
| Salt Lake City Police Department (Utah) | 18% | 1,841 | 25% | 47 |
| San Antonio Police Department (Texas) | 9% | 9,737 | 9% | 230 |
| San Bernardino Police Department (Calif.) | 2% | 1,149 | 7% | 72 |
| San Diego Police Department (Calif.) | 4% | 3,774 | 8% | 166 |
| San Francisco Police Department (Calif.) | 1% | 3,812 | 3% | 292 |
| San Jose Police Department (Calif.) | -3% | 2,638 | -1% | 114 |
| Santa Ana Police Department (Calif.) | -2% | 792 | 11% | 63 |
| Santa Clara Police Department (Calif.) | 2% | 326 | -25% | 5 |
| Santa Clarita Police Department (Calif.) | 2% | 303 | 2% | 10 |
| Santa Maria Police Department (Calif.) | -1% | 316 | 7% | 15 |
| Santa Rosa Police Department (Calif.) | -1% | 444 | -6% | 16 |
| Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police (Ga.) | 11% | 1,150 | 16% | 49 |
| Scottsdale Police Department (Ariz.) | -3% | 677 | -7% | 12 |
| Seattle Police Department (Wash.) | 6% | 3,643 | 5% | 134 |
| Shreveport Police Department (La.) | 5% | 1,241 | 9% | 46 |
| Simi Valley Police Department (Calif.) | 7% | 204 | -14% | 4 |
| Sioux Falls Police Department (S.D.) | 26% | 706 | 50% | 21 |
| South Bend Police Department (Ind.) | 22% | 874 | 20% | 40 |
| Spokane Police Department (Wash.) | 10% | 1,932 | 12% | 52 |
| Springfield Police Department (Mass.) | 15% | 1,792 | 7% | 39 |
| Springfield Police Department (Mo.) | 10% | 1,287 | 10% | 57 |
| St. Louis County Police Department (Mo.) | 12% | 1,209 | 14% | 32 |
| Stamford Police Department (Conn.) | 10% | 300 | -5% | 15 |
| Sterling Heights Police Department (Mich.) | 15% | 352 | 16% | 5 |
| Stockton Police Department (Calif.) | 6% | 1,969 | 20% | 151 |
| Suffolk County Police Department (N.Y.) | 17% | 3,575 | 7% | 73 |
| Sunnyvale Police Department (Calif.) | 0% | 234 | -32% | 5 |
| Surprise Police Department (Ariz.) | 2% | 247 | 5% | 5 |
| Sussex County State Police (Del.) | 20% | 723 | 39% | 16 |
| Syracuse Police Department (N.Y.) | 16% | 1,004 | 24% | 48 |
| Tacoma Police Department (Wash.) | 7% | 1,529 | 8% | 55 |
| Temecula Police Department (Calif.) | 3% | 255 | -8% | 4 |
| Tempe Police Department (Ariz.) | -3% | 984 | 4% | 26 |
| Thornton Police Department (Colo.) | 5% | 410 | -6% | 8 |
| Thousand Oaks Police Department (Calif.) | 3% | 218 | -4% | 5 |
| Toledo Police Department (Ohio) | 12% | 1,072 | 18% | 123 |
| Torrance Police Department (Calif.) | -8% | 259 | 5% | 11 |
| Tucson Police Department (Ariz.) | 3% | 1,788 | 4% | 122 |
| Tulsa Police Department (Okla.) | 14% | 2,812 | 18% | 141 |
| Vallejo Police Department (Calif.) | 10% | 652 | 3% | 42 |
| Vancouver Police Department (Wash.) | 2% | 752 | 0% | 23 |
| Ventura Police Department (Calif.) | 10% | 395 | 11% | 13 |
| Victorville Police Department (Calif.) | 6% | 488 | 2% | 25 |
| Virginia Beach Police Department (Va.) | 23% | 1,883 | 26% | 46 |
| Visalia Police Department (Calif.) | 12% | 655 | 22% | 17 |
| Waco Police Department (Texas) | 13% | 851 | 8% | 24 |
| Warren Police Department (Mich.) | 13% | 549 | 9% | 21 |
| Waterbury Police Department (Conn.) | 11% | 540 | 10% | 17 |
| West Covina Police Department (Calif.) | 0% | 322 | 2% | 11 |
| West Jordan Police Department (Utah) | 8% | 373 | -19% | 5 |
| West Valley Police Department (Utah) | 6% | 711 | 5% | 18 |
| Westminster Police Department (Colo.) | 6% | 324 | 12% | 8 |
| Westmoreland County State Police (Pa.) | 16% | 226 | 3% | 6 |
| Wichita Falls Police Department (Texas) | 11% | 749 | 15% | 17 |
| Wichita Police Department (Kansas) | 10% | 3,069 | 12% | 68 |
| Wilmington Police Department (N.C.) | 9% | 673 | 4% | 26 |
| Winston-Salem Police Department (N.C.) | 5% | 2,030 | 14% | 49 |
| Worcester Police Department (Mass.) | 11% | 928 | 5% | 38 |
| Yonkers Police Department (N.Y.) | 13% | 451 | 14% | 44 |
NOTE: Offense totals include murder/manslaughter, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft. Violent crime includes murder/manslaughter, rape and robbery.
SOURCE: Governing analysis of 2010-2012 FBI UCR Data. See "Notes on Data" below
A number of theories offer varying explanations for higher levels of crime in the summertime.
Jerome McKean, an associate professor at Ball State University, said it’s mostly that there are just more opportunities for crime to occur. “There’s a large pool of potential offenders and victims who are more vulnerable that time of year,” he said.
Teenagers, in particular, lack activities to structure their time while out of school. It’s this group that’s been a particular focus for several cities. The city of Los Angeles partnered with a foundation for its “Summer Night Lights” program, offering evening activities at area rec centers and parks that target youths at risk for gang involvement and related violence.
Tourists run a greater risk of having bags or valuables stolen while they’re traveling, McKean said. And when they’re out of town on summer vacation, their houses are prone to break-ins.
Some have even blamed hotter temperatures for more crime, arguing such weather causes more aggressive behavior. Both Maxfield and McKean, though, expressed skepticism of that theory.
While warmer temperatures may not necessarily cause crime, multiple studies find it does correlate strongly with higher crime levels. A recent study published in the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management takes it a step further, using a model to estimate additional crime caused by climate change. Evidence also suggests crime declines once temperatures reach a point where it’s too hot for people to want to be outside. Two Florida State University researchers found that assault rates began to drop once temperatures reached about 80 degrees Fahrenheit over a two-year period in Minneapolis.
Agencies serving jurisdictions with warmer temperatures outside the summer months were shown to have much smaller seasonal fluctuations in crime in the Governing analysis. Agencies in warmer climates experienced an average monthly increase of about 6 percent during the three summer months, while crime rose nearly 18 percent in colder climates.
Some police departments actually experience slightly less crime in the summer. The Scottsdale (Ariz.) Police Department reported total murders, rapes and robberies that were an average of 7 percent lower. That’s not surprising considering peak season for tourism there falls outside of summer, and daily highs regularly exceed 100 degrees from June through August.
Many agencies reviewed not experiencing spikes in summer crime serve jurisdictions in Arizona and California.
Seasonal swings in crime occur also vary for different types of crimes. Cities often experience far more property crimes during the summer, likely attributable -- at least in part -- to the fact that the primary perpetrators aren’t in school. Pittsburgh police receive more reports of nuisance-type crimes, such as car break-ins and graffiti, during the summer months, according to Sonya Toler, a city police spokeswoman.
Murder counts climb in the summer months as well. Police agencies reviewed saw monthly murders increase an average of 15 percent from June through August, with larger variations occurring in places like Cleveland and Rochester, N.Y.
To keep summer crime to a minimum, some agencies turn to increased staffing and extra patrols. The New York City Police Department reported a 25 percent drop in shootings in 10 targeted precincts following the implementation of its initiative in July.
Seattle launched a broader “Summer of Safety Initiative,” coordinating efforts across multiple departments. Part of the city’s efforts encouraged residents to report nuisance issues, such as abandoned vehicle and graffiti, along with public safety concerns. Hours at libraries and community centers were extended. Like other cities, Seattle also runs a summer jobs program providing opportunities for young adults to work for the city or participating local companies.
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Notes on the Data
- Seven types of crime were reviewed for this analysis: murder/manslaughter, rape, robbery, assault (all types), burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft. Data was compiled from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program for 2010-2012.
- Law enforcement agencies that report monthly UCR data and serve at least 100,000 residents were included in the analysis. Agencies that either do not participate in the UCR program or do not report monthly offense data were not included. The New York City Police Department, for example, reports crime data on a quarterly basis.
- The 384 agencies reporting data are not necessarily representative of the nation as a whole. Most serve jurisdictions in warmer climates, so the 10 percent average difference in summer crime would be higher if additional larger jurisdictions elsewhere reported monthly data.
- Some smaller agencies reviewed reported relatively few crimes.
- Monthly figures were not adjusted to reflect the number of days in each month.
- Agencies were categorized into cold, mild or warm climate groups based on their state’s average mean temperatures for non-summer months.
