Hillsdale really does owe something to the people: They’ve made it safer than the average Michigan city, according to ValuePenguin.
In a recent report based on FBI crime statistics, ValuePenguin, a research company that focuses on assessing value for consumers, ranked Hillsdale the 124th safest city in Michigan of 186 cities measured with a score of 1090. The average score was 1149.
The report’s methodology weighted violent crime at 90 percent and property crime at 10 percent, because its analysts “figured that the violent crime data points are more relevant when calculating the relative safety of these cities.” Violent crime rates measured include murder/manslaughter, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault; property crime rates measured include burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft, and arson.
The most dangerous city in Michigan, according to the report, is Detroit, with a score of 7156, making it more than six times more dangerous than Hillsdale. The safest is Raisin Township, with a score of 26, making it 44 times safer than Hillsdale.
Other cities similar in safety level to Hillsdale include Ann Arbor (120th, 1030), Portage (131st, 1183), and Grandville (133rd, 1274). At 3340, nearby Jackson, Michigan is one of the most dangerous cities ranked, appearing near the bottom at 175th.
Hillsdale Chief of Police Scott Hephner said the report’s results didn’t surprise him. “The findings are just. We are a safe community,” Hephner said. “Most of the assaults here involved people who know each other. They’re not random.”
Hephner stressed that this lack of randomness is indicative of the unique nature of crime in Hillsdale.
“We get a high percentage of noncriminal complaints that could escalate into criminal complaints,” he said. “It’s really resolved before it comes to a criminal complaint.”
Hephner also said that Hillsdale is fortunate to have enough resources to deal with crime on this proactive basis.
“We’re fortunate in that our complaint load for violent crime has never been that high,” he said.
This ranking coheres with other data and analyses.
A 2012 Cap Index, Inc. Crimecast report assessed crime rates in Hillsdale, Michigan versus the nation at large, with scores on a scale from zero to 2000, 100 being average. The Hillsdale College campus and surrounding area scored a 69, indicating risk lower than average.
Statistics provided on the Michigan State Police website also shows this.
According to Michigan Incident Crime Reporting for Hillsdale from 2013, the most recent year available, there were 298 incidents of crimes against property, such as theft and forced entry, 85 violations of controlled substance and one narcotic equipment violation, and zero incidences of murder or manslaughter, negligent or non-negligent.
So next time you walk around safely downtown at night, you can thank the people.
