Is Birmingham MI Safe?

When choosing an area to live, safety is one of the key factors to consider. Safe cities allow for happier and fuller lives, as residents don’t have to worry about petty crimes and general criminal activity. Safe cities also mitigate the impact of natural disasters and other threats, with the help of proactive security agencies, fire and rescue departments, as well public health and social service departments. 

Is Birmingham, Michigan safe? Among the cities in the United States, Birmingham MI has consistently been named as one of the safest year on year. Situated halfway between Detroit and Pontiac, Birmingham also boasts a thriving commercial and socio-cultural scene in the Midwest. 

Birmingham MI is also home to a thriving business community, including Masri Clinic.

Crime in Birmingham MI 

Birmingham, Michigan is among the top 25 safest communities in the United States, and it is safer than 88% of the cities in the U.S. Their overall crime rate is 73% lower than the national average; their violent crime rate is 88% lower than the national average. 

A violent crime is a criminal offense that injures or uses force against another person. Under this category fall crimes such as assault and battery, homicide, and rape. The most common violent crime committed in Birmingham is assault, which had dropped from 144 cases in 2006 to 51 cases in 2018. 

On the other hand, non-violent crimes are criminal offenses that did not directly injure another person. Non-violent crimes include gambling, drug or alcohol related offences, and traffic offenses. Most non-violent crimes frequently involved damages to a victim’s property. This is why many non-violent crimes are called property crimes. Theft, larceny, embezzlement, arson and bribery are crimes that fall under this umbrella.

In 2016, Birmingham recorded 24 burglaries in a city of 20,000 residents, the lowest number over a 12-month period since Birmingham began recording the statistics 50 years ago. This falls in comparison to the 83 burglaries in 2006, and the 715 burglary cases in 1986. 

Crime rates in Birmingham have also seen an annual drop, decreasing at around 40% year on year. To get a better picture of this, around 2,000 cases were reported in 1985. By 2018, there were only 489 cases reported to the police department. 

Overall, the only statistic to increase over a 10-year period was the number of fraud cases, such as credit card fraud and identity theft. In Birmingham, there is a 1 in 145 chance of becoming a victim of a crime. 

Disaster Response in Birmingham 

The City of Birmingham has partnered with the Michigan State Police Emergency Management Division and the Oakland County Preparedness Office to prepare its Emergency Management Plan. 

For natural disasters, diseases outbreaks, or chemical spills, Birmingham has a designated Emergency Services Coordinator, who belongs to the Fire Department. This person is in charge of coordinating all activities related to mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery, and their duty is performed 25% of the time. 

Each of the Birmingham city departments are also involved with these preparedness and response activities, appointing a person who will act as the liaison between their department and the Birmingham Emergency Services. 

The Fire Department also serves as the Birmingham’s Emergency Medical Services, and they are trained as first responders and paramedics for medical emergencies. 

Public Health in Birmingham 

As a city in Oakland County, Birmingham residents are part of a Michigan-wide one-stop public health program for the uninsured and under-insured.

The program launched in February 2020 “will offer not only traditional county health services ー such as child immunizations and tuberculosis checkups ー but also will add full primary health care, women’s care including low- and no-cost contraceptives, dental care, substance abuse treatment and mental health clinic.” 

The expanded care program is aimed to address the needs of nearly a quarter million uninsured Oakland County residents, and will be phased in over the next three years. 

Local Government Solutions in Birmingham

In an article published by the Detroit Free Press in 2017 on Birmingham’s success with getting the crime rate to an all-time low, they mentioned three solutions that helped Birmingham and its residents with regards to law enforcement and general welfare. These were: 

• Responsive police and fire departments: Both police and fire departments strive to keep Michigan safe. Aside from the fire prevention and suppression, the fire department also trains to perform emergency care and conducts regular pre-incident planning. The police department’s patrol force and investigative division also engage in proactive law enforcement and community participation.
• Regular neighborhood newsletter: Through a regular neighborhood newsletter and word-of-mouth, locals are warned ahead for any potential threats. The Birmingham police department also has an online crime mapping system called CRIMEDAR which allows residents to view and track crime reports. The system shows incidents of crime for up to two weeks, monitoring violent crimes and property crimes in the city. CRIMEDAR also reflects the crime rates and other relevant statistics. 
• Multiple task forces: Communities in and around Birmingham belong to multi-jurisdictional task forces, which broadens their scope and allows them to share resources in an effective way. For example, the top investigators from neighboring communities band together to form the Major Case Assistance Team (MCAT), which played a key role in two homicide cases and a shooting in previous years. 
  

Great Service Awaits in Birmingham, MI

Masri Health Clinic is the leading plastic surgery destination in Michigan. The team at Masri Clinic specializes in the latest laser and cosmetic surgery procedures, and works with their patients to craft a customized treatment plan tailored to address their concerns and match their expectations.

Learn more: What Is the Difference Between a Plastic and Cosmetic Surgeon?