Earlier this week, the Federal Bureau of Investigation released updated national crime statistics for last year. The FBI's numbers show that Novi continues to be a very safe place to live, even when compared to nearby cities such as Farmington Hills that are considered among the safest in the nation.

The most important category, violent crime, was the category Novi ranked very well in. There was one violent crime in Novi per 1,621 residents last year, according to the FBI. In comparison, nearby Farmington Hills had one violent crime per 560 residents. That's three-times more than Novi per capita.

Property crimes were also low for Novi residents. There was one burglary per 334 residents in Novi. Farmington Hills had one per 197 residents, a rate 70% higher than Novi's.

When it comes to motor vehicles, there was one theft per 1,198 residents in Novi last year, compared to one per 482 in Farmington Hills. Novi's rate was nearly two times better.

Although still doing well, Novi didn't score as high in the larceny (theft) category. Novi's rate was one per 59 residents. Farmington Hills had one per 84 residents.

Novi Police Chief David Molloy notes, "When looking at the larceny category one has to take into account that our daytime population swells exponentially throughout our shopping malls and retail areas. When you factor in the vast amount of retail development we have, I believe the comparisons bring us back in line with other communities."

Molloy went on to state, "The remaining numbers of reported larceny crimes are nearly all larceny from automobile complaints. The Novi Police Department is working on a daily basis to educate our community on crime prevention measures. We have been very proactive in alerting and advising community members to lock their car doors and always remove items of value. By working together in a community oriented policing fashion, we can make great strides in reducing crime in our city."

"I am particularly proud of the effort our men and women demonstrate when it comes to solving these crimes with arrests. Our 2007 arrest clearance rate was 36%, which is almost double the national average for departments and communities similar in size," explains Molloy.