Crime Statistics

The Roanoke Valley boasts a low violent crime rate according to both the FBI and the Virginia State Police.  The Roanoke MSA's violent crime rate for 2006 is 420.1 per 100,000 people, below the US average of 473.5.  Another indicator of a region's crime rate is Motor Vehicle Theft. In 2006, the Roanoke Valley's Motor Vehicle Theft rate per 100,000 people is 208.2, well below the national rate of 398.4.

The City of Roanoke has been recognized as a Certified Crime Prevention Community, one of only two in Virginia at the time of its recognition in March 2001.

Contributing to the overall safety of the Roanoke Valley are its various law enforcement departments, many of which have been nationally recognized for excellent by such organizations as the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. Less than five percent of law enforcement agencies nationwide are accredited.