AM850.com

While the crime rate for the state of Florida saw a 6.4 percent decrease in 2009, the city of Gainesville didn't fair quite as well. The Gainesville Police Department reoprts a 7.6 percent hike in crime rates within the past year. This number includes a string of robberies that occurred last summer. GPD Corporal Tscharna Senn says there were a few key periods when the numbers spiked. Although the crime rates are reflect the time of year, Chief of Police Tony Jones set a goal to reduce crime by at least five percent for the 2010 year. Senn says over the past two months the numbers of crimes have gone down. Despite the budget cuts that hit G-P-D, Senn says they are still taking a proactive approach to protecting the Gainesville citizens.While the city of Gainesville saw an increase in crime rates, Alachua County as a whole dropped 4.3 percent. Alachua County Sheriff's Public Information Officer Art Forgey says although the jump was small, they are seeing a rise in drug-realted crimes. The Sheriff's Office is trying a new strategy to keep the crime rate low by targeting specific areas. Forgey says that way the depuites can focus on comminuty-oriented policing. The Sheriff's Office is not only working on the streets to help with crime prevention, but they are also working with local businesses and the media to ensure the safety of the Alachua County residents. Although the University Police Department is a smaller agency compared to the Sheriff's office or GPD, University Police did see an 18.5 percent decrease in the 2009.