Bowling Green and Warren County reflected national statistics last year with an increase in violent crime.

Meanwhile, many of the surrounding counties saw decreases or little to no increase in the number of violent crimes committed in their counties in 2006 compared to 2005.

Kentucky State Police compiles and releases state crime statistics each year.

Violent crime is going up in nearly all areas, said Officer Barry Pruitt, spokesman for the Bowling Green Police Department. The city is following that national trend.

Typically violent crimes in this area involve someone who knows the victim and are often domestic situations, Pruitt said.

“It’s not as though we’re out investigating serial killers,” he said. “The robberies we have solved are almost all related to committing the crime to get money for drugs.”

One issue with the statistics is that they represent small increases overall, but look like significant percentages, Pruitt said.

Nationally, there was a 1.9 percent increase in violent crimes in 2006 compared to 2005, according to FBI statistics.

Overall, crime within Bowling Green was down for the year, Pruitt said, thanks mostly to a decrease in property crimes - particularly thefts.

Throughout Warren County, there were 416 violent crimes, which includes murder, rape, robbery and assault, reported in 2006, according to state police statistics. This compares to 2005’s 361 violent crimes.

Each of the four categories of violent crime showed an increase: murders went from three to five, rapes from 57 to 63, robberies went to 109 from 92 and assaults jumped from 209 to 239.

Until the last two years, violent crime had decreased every year since 1994, according to FBI figures.

Economic and employment conditions can play a factor in crime, said Maj. Randy Hargis of the Warren County Sheriff’s Department.

“A citizen’s demeanor and response to a situation will change when things are good or they could react with anger when they are under the right stresses,” he said.

Another possible cause for increased crime is the reduction in the last few years in federal grants that allowed departments to hire more staff. Additional officers lead to a reduction in crime, Hargis said.

“In some small counties they were able to double the size of their departments through these grants,” he said. “Currently we’re in a situation where there aren’t as many of those grants available and local governments are having to manage their funds differently.”

These factors leave less funding available for law enforcement agencies, Hargis said. Warren County took advantage of that funding and increased the number of deputies on patrol.

“However, now because of the reduction in those programs and the situation that fiscal court finds itself in, there have been some cutbacks,” he said.

Crime is not going to decrease until that situation can change and departments can add more officers, Hargis said.

The numbers overall throughout the area are still very low, said state police Trooper Todd Holder.

“There remains a concerted effort between all law enforcement agencies to work together to prevent crime or to solve crimes that do occur,” Holder said.

The clearance rate for violent crime, particularly murder, is high, with both local murders being solved this year, he said.

“It’s because any time there’s a murder, we use a team concept, sending all 10 of the post’s detectives to the scene,” Holder said.

That means 10 sets of eyes investigate a scene, collect evidence and interview witnesses, he said.

“With this method we typically have someone in custody or a good lead in the investigation within the first 48 hours,” Holder said.

In the surrounding counties, Logan County had the most significant decrease in violent crime when all agencies were considered, according to state police figures. Crimes decreased from 54 reported in 2005 with one murder, two rapes, 10 robberies and 41 assaults, to one murder, three rapes, three robberies and 26 assaults.

The statistics show that law enforcement is doing its job, said Logan County Sheriff Wallace Whittaker.

“All the agencies work together really well and that’s helped reduce crime,” Whittaker said. “The (South Central Kentucky Drug) Task Force and all the city departments communicate with each other.”

In addition, efforts to combat drugs by all agencies and the task force have had an impact in reducing crime, he said.

Allen County was one of the few areas to show a decrease in violent crime. The county had no murders, four rapes and one assault in 2006, compared to three murders, five rapes and eight assaults in 2005, according to state police statistics.

The Scottsville Police Department had only two violent crimes in 2006 - both robberies.

Barren County reported a total of 10 rapes, five robberies and 17 assaults in 2006. Most of those violent crimes were investigated by the Glasgow Police Department, with the department handling five rapes, three robberies and 12 assaults.

Glasgow crime was also down from 2005 ,when the city reported 22 violent crimes.

Butler County reported a total of seven violent crimes in 2006, compared to 11 in 2005. The 2006 statistics included a murder, four rapes and two assaults.

Edmonson County had a total of seven violent crimes reported in 2006 compared to 14 for 2005. This year’s figures include one rape and six assaults.

In Hart County, two additional violent crimes were reported than in the previous year with a total of 27 in 2006: one murder, 12 rapes, three robberies and 11 assaults.

Simpson County also had a significant decrease in violent crimes, dropping from 31 in 2005 to 21 last year. Last year’s crimes included one murder, one rape, seven robberies and 12 assaults.